Awakening
by Dekallis
Summary: UPDATED! Cloud's lost it. Aeris still can't face Zack, and Yuffie's awakening finally happens.Will Sephiroth and his new race win the day? Will Cloud destroy everyone? Or will Yuffie be able to hold him together? Is humanity screwed no matter who wins?
1. Chapter 1

Awakening by Dark Knight Sephiroth

Chapter 1-Planting the seed

The ground shifted and the planet groaned with agony as the place known as Northern Crater collapsed into itself and vanished. A lone figure growing limp and cold struggled to muster the last of it's strength pushing all of it's last life into one final action. it pulsed with energy and light for not even a moment and something shot out from it's body, something small and inoccuous something that no one saw in the utter chaos and confusion. Something that landed on it's intended target with great percision silently absorbing into it's skin.The seed was planted now it simply needed time to see what grew.

_kill...kill them...all of them..._

Tifa snapped awake for the fourth time in the same night she had been having a terrible nightmare one in which she single handedly killed off all of her dear freinds not one of them ever suspecting a thing untill they were already dieing. It terrified her that she could have such dreams such thoughts and what was worse was that voice the one she had just heard telling her to kill. where had this come from? what was happening to her? why did it want her to kill? or maybe she was just insane...simply questioning said unseen voice brought her to wonder if she really had gone insane. "This is crazy..." She muttered to herself. peeling off the sweat soaked cover that lay atop her and standing she was still among her freinds they all lay asleep in some manner or another around her. She took in a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling as memory faded in. This was Cosmo Canyon and tonight was their last night together before everyone would go their seperate ways so everyone had gathered by the great fire for their last night together.

She sighed looking at the stars the only thing that seemed to calm her and allow her to forget the horrifying images of her nightmares and the voice in her head whoever, or whatever it was.

Cloud sat up as she stood there having been awakened by her constant tossing and turning."Tifa? You ok?" he asked hesitantly he wasn't sure if he should even speak to her she looked at peace staring at the sky.

When she heard him she snapped out of her world and back to reality. "Oh..uh...Cloud what're you doing up?" She asked surprised that he'd not only been awake but had noticed something was wrong.

"I couldn't sleep with you tossing and turning besides you looked like you were having a pretty bad dream...wanna talk about it?" he asked looking up at her staring right into her eyes as if searching for what troubled her.

"Oh." She said simply at first 'well that's just great...what do i tell him?.' she thought "It was nothing...just a stupid nightmare I'll be fine go on to sleep I'm going to sit up a while longer." She said hoping he'd be willing to leave it at that.

Cloud stared at her for awhile searching her eyes before letting out a sigh. "Alright..." he replied finally much to Tifa's relief and laid back down

That taken care of Tifa decided to go for a walk and get away from them before anyone else could get up or that voice could surface again. Though she noted one of the sleeping bags was empty she didn't bother to take a count and figure out who the missing person was. Instead she just wandered on eventually winding up on the cliffside near the item shop she sat with her legs dangling off the edge and laid back to stare at the sky when she saw Vincent standing over her. 'figures he'd be the one wandering about' she thought and looked up at him expectantly.

"Nice night isn't it?" He said with a hidden smirk he too knew that something was a miss with Tifa but hadn't bothered to ask her about it afterall she gave him his peace without any questions so he would let her have hers.

"Vincent...why're you up now? what is everyone going to get up one after another and ask me how i'm doing?" She asked him sitting up.

"No..I just happened to be up I didn't know you were awake untill I saw you just now." He answered leaning against the wall.

"Oh..." She said simply and hoped he wouldn't ask about her nightmares.

"Besides it was hard to sleep after you kicked me in the head during that nightmare of yours." He added.

Tifa froze she had been hoping he wouldn't make any mention of th nightmare but apparently she had awoken him too. Then again it was pretty hard to ignore a kick in the head now wasn't it?

"Sorry about that..." she replied turning to look at him scanning for a bruise or mark she had no idea she had even kicked him much less how hard she might have kicked him.

He simply shook his head in response "Don't worry about it." was all he said and he looked up he wasn't going to ask if she wasn't willing to tell that his rule.

They were silent for awhile before Tifa spoke. "Vincent...Chaos and the others are they ever trouble? like nagging voices in your head?" She asked the question suddenly and Vincent if one could see his face would have looked shocked.

"Yes..all the time Chaos being the most dominant the others aren't really a problem." he replied still refusing to pry.

"Do they...ever give you...nightmares?" She asked and he saw where she was going with this.

"Sometimes." He replied simply "but a nightmare is just that a nightmare it's up to me to keep it from becoming reality. everyday I must keep my resolve and hold back Chaos from taking over my body against my will if he ever managed to he'd simply do what he liked and as you well know that is to destroy.It's the same with your nightmares whatever may happen remember that it is only a nightmare reality is all that matters." Tifa looked at Vincent that must have been the most he had ever said to her at once since he joined them at the shinra mansion. She was fairly speechless her mouth wanted to move to say something but she couldn't think of what she should say. Vincent seeing as he had stunned her with his profound thought removed himself from the wall and left. leaving her to think on the words.

a short while after he'd gone she found her voice. "He's right...reality is all that matter voices and bloody images be damned..."

_Then I'll make the images the reality_

Tifa jumped the voice had spoken againbut this was the first time it had done so while she was awake and now she was truly afraid. she huddled up against the wall pulling her knees up and hugged them muttering to herself "I did not just hear that..."

Elsewhere Someone else was hearing Voices or rather a single voice the difference being he knew who and what this voice was.

_get up child...GET UP_

"m...mother?...you're still alive?...wait...I'm...alive..." realization hit him like a sledgehammer but with it came the pain of being concious and the revelation that he was buried under an incredible amount of debris. 'so it spit me out like a vile infection...' he thought and began to move or at least try to. he found he had enough room to get into a kneel. however standing upright was out of the question.

"Mother...what do you want me to do? I failed...we failed the pawns rebelled..." He muttered

_Heal first child...then go...home_

"home?..." he was lost at first before he realized what she meant "..I understand."

_good now go_

After that his mothers voice fell silent and Sephiroth was left sitting there to figure out a way out of the rubble.

The next day

Tifa awoke slowly she had been without a nightmare for the rest of the night but she was still incredibly tired. She looked around trying to get a gauge for what time it was the highwind was still here so none of the others had left yet. But the sun was pretty high so she figured it must have been getting pretty close to noon. "Guess it's time to get up..." She mumbled standing and stretching with a great deal of difficulty and pain. "Owowowowow...stiff...sore...owww..." She groaned sleeping in such a position had it's cost and now she was paying it.

She tried to work out some of the kinks in her arms painful as it was to do so before working on her legs. the rest she would just have to deal with for now it's not like she could give herself a massage and she doubted any of the others knew how to give one.

So she slowly made her way down to the flame and found only Nanaki was still there.

"Good morning." He said upon seeing her. 'so it IS still morning' she thought

"good morning...where are the others?" she asked looking around.

"Cid,Barret and Cloud are having drinks at the bar. Yuffie is well...honsetly I don't know but if i had to guess she's with Grandfather.Vincent dissapeared as well. and a chopper already picked up Cait Sith." he answered

"whoa wait..Cloud..is having a drink?...With Barret and Cid!" She couldn't believe it.

Nanaki gave a nod "Yes they dragged him off saying he needed to learn to live a little and have a drink seeing as it's the last chance they're going to have to all have one together for awhile."

"huh? have they already decided what they're going to do?"She asked

"Yes seems Barret wants to have Cid help him in rebuilding Corel...which reminds me Cait Sith mentioned Something about...Neo Midgar? I believe it was." He shifted slightly to his left looking curiously at the way Tifa was standing which showed that she hadn't really gotten rid of her soreness.

"oh...So they're rebuilding Midgar...and Corel...wait...what's Cloud going to do?" She asked suddenly realizing He'd been left out.

"He doesn't know. Says he's got no where to go back to and nothing to really do." Nanaki replied

"I see...well we'll see about that." TIfa said storming off in the direction of the bar 'how dare he say he has no home to go back to? we have...a...' she stopped in mid thought could the Neibelham that existed now really be called home? for her maybe Shinra hadn't put anyone in her house. But for Cloud it'd never be the same. He had gotten so angry when he saw it rebuilt like that like nothing ever happened and everyone claimed that he had never been there.

She stepped into the bar and found the place filled with loud talk and cigarette smoke obviously Cid and Barret were still here that much was apparent before she even looked around. Cid, Barret, and Cloud were sitting at a table in the corner each of them downing drinks like they were water. "Cloud!" She half yelled.

He looked up at her surprised and instinctively got up. "uh oh...looks like the parties over for me guys..." He said going to her.

Barret whistled "Man I dunno what he did but he's in trouble."

"Yea she looks mad." Cid agreed.

Tifa grabbed him by the arm and dragged him outside. "Cloud what's this I heard about you saying you've got no home to go to?" She asked

"What? I don't Shinra put some woman in my house remember?" He replied

"So what? Kick her out it's not her house anyway and Shinra is gone now we should kick out the whole damn lot of them." she didn't know why but she was suddenly angry.

"Tifa we can't do that they've been living there for years now I doubt any of them have anywhere to go with or without Shinra." he said calmly

"So then just what ARE you going to do then?" She asked

"I...I dunno...wander for awhile see the world we saved and take in the sights." He said looking up at the sky.

"Cloud...I...I want you to come back with me...I'm going back to Neibelham." She half whispered looking down.

"Why? there's nothing there for us Tifa nothing at all...it's just a mirage that refuses to go away even after the people that created it are gone...I can't live there I couldn't live in an illusion I'd go crazy trying to live like nothing ever happened." He said looking away from her.

"Fine...go then wander off out of my life again and just show up at my door half dead in another 5-7 years!" she yelled angrily and walked away.

Cloud just stood there stunned Cid and Barret had heard the whole thing. Cloud went back inside "Someone tell me what just happened there?" He asked looking at the two knowing they had been listening.

"Well...you got chewed out cuz yer an Asshole who just rejected an absolutely beatiful girl." Cid informed him.

"Ok...thanks for the rundown..." Cloud Replied sitting still stunned.

"Gawddamnit Cloud you know she cares about ya so why not just go?" Barret asked

"I can't...don't ask me why I just can't man..."Cloud said grabbing the drink he left behind and downing it.

"The jackass doesn't love her end of discussion." Cid cut in.

"You're a damn fool man." Barret told Cloud.

"I know...that's why I can't go back there...I'll only do something stupid." He told them

Tifa found her way back to the same spot she had been sitting in before "stupid cloud..." She muttered holding back tears. "why does he have to make everything difficult and complicated?" She wondered aloud.

"Because then nothing would be any fun" She gasped and looked up at who had spoken once again Vincent had surprised her.

"Oh..it's you again...don't you have anything better to do than sneak up on me?" She asked

"not really with everyone splitting up and all. besides it was hard to miss the racket you made yelling at Cloud I'll be all of Cosmo Canyon is talking about it by now." He told her.

"and since when did you get all talkative?" She asked

"huh?...oh..guess I have been speaking lately haven't I? I suppose with my sins atonned for I can at least try and live a normal life so I decided to get used to talking to people as I have no intention of going back to that coffin." He informed her.

"So where will you go?" she asked dissapointed that yet another who should have been going back to Neibelham was desserting her.

"Dunno See the world I guess...sure we saw alot of It but that was just the major cities and such... there's alot of places I missed.Besides I need to find Lucretia...we...need to talk." he explained

"I see...so I'm the onlyone going back then..." she sighed.

"so thats what that was all about...I came in a bit late about when you were screaming about him walking out of your life.." He said.

"Yea...it was stupid but...I really wanted him to come." She told him.

_you won't be alone...the angels will be there_

Tifa visibly stiffened the voice had spoken for the second time while she was awake.

Vincent frowned "what is it?"

"Oh uhm...nothing...just thought I heard something that's all." She replied fairly honestly aside from the fact that she knew what she heard. though she didn't understand what it meant.

"hm...well come on...I imagine it'll be time for us to go soon. I saw yuffie earlier she was already bouncing off the walls of the highwind apparenlty she's all hyped up because of all the materia she's getting. even if we did forbid her from a few." He told her offering his hand. She took it and stood.

"alright...but if Cloud is going to be there don't expect me to be nice." She fumed.

they came down to find that by now the others had gathered and were all standing in front of the highwind ready to go well all except Nanaki who was staying in Cosmo Canyon for awhile.

They got onto the highwind one by one each saying their goodbye's to Nanaki untill they had all gotten aboard and the highwind was taking off. they waved to him even then as the highwind left and it was time to decide what the first destination would be.

"Wutai! Wutia! Head to Wutai!" Yuffie repeated over and over again until Cid agreed just so he could get her off his damn ship.

when they arrived her bag of materia was tossed down after and they were gone or rather Cid was taking off again the others were saying goodbye or trying to. guess it didn't pay to annoy your driver when you were getting a ride home.

Next was Tifa she wanted to get off at Neibelham despite being the only one who was going there. She knew where everyone else was going already and she wanted to get away from Cloud before she blew up at him again. Her good byes were a bit more tender as Cid was in no hurry to be rid of her. There was hugs all around except for Cloud who Simply got a "hmph...bastard" and she turned away from him. Even Vincent despite his refusal to do it found he had no choice in the matter when she clung to him untill he hugged back. it was also decided that She would take the left over materia that yuffie had been forbidden to have. which consisted of the summons, shield, elemental, and slash all Cloud was allowed to keep double cut for his wanderings and was charged with Guarding the black materia after which had been dropped straight from the hands of sephiroth after his defeat and Vincent got Deathblow. the master materias were each hidden inside the huge materia and left there likely never to be bothered again.

Now it was time to figure out a way to start over in this forsaken town she started first by bringing her things into the house. She drew alot of attention it seemed the idea that someone was moving in was unspeakable to them they stood there staring at her like scarred rabbits.

"E..excuse me miss but..what're you doing?" One of them finally spoke up a young man in fact the same one Cloud had questioned when they had come here last time.

"What's it look like? I'm moving back in my old house." She said plainly and the murmurs arose "she said 'old house'" she heard one of them say " She must have been here..." she heard another say. Then she finally turned and faced them "So you all DO know about what happened."

This startled them they had been hoping to be below her range of hearing but found that it was quite good. "er uh...what're you talking about?" the same one who had just spoken stammered she was staring at him hard.

"You all know very well what I'm talking about Sephiroth, Jenova, the bloodshed. THAT" She said angrily.

"We have no idea what you're talking about nothing like that has ever happened here." the boy recycled his old line.

"What're you a trained monkey?" She asked glaring at him. "That's the same line you used when Cloud and I came back here last time but you can't deny I lived here the fact I still have a key to my house that works is proof of that." She said "Oh and don't bother counting on Shinra to come and fix my being here because there isn't a Shinra anymore." She informed them. that one met gasps and brought on more murmuring apparently they were waaay out of touch with the rest of the world here.

"well...that explains why our checks didn't come..." she heard one woman say and she picked her out of the crowd.

"Aha! You! so you all do work for Shinra. Just as we all suspected no one else would've rebuilt everything and put people here claiming nothing happened." She said pointing at the woman who looked like a deer in headlights to them Tifa might as well have been a bandit with a gun. She just looked that tough afterall they were simple employees none of them with combat training.

"Alright alright...that's enough" An older man stepped out from the crowd

"So I take it you're in charge here?" She asked sitting atop a box with her legs crossed.

"Yes I am." he replied.

"good then you'll tell them that I'm moving in and that's that it IS MY house." She said agitated

"Of course we can't stop you from moving in we didn't believe anyone survived that horror...but most of these people here don't know about what actually happened. it was deemed better that way made them more believeable. still a few of us were told just in case this happened. and we were told not to stop you." He told her.

"Good then" She waved a hand "Shoo now all of you shows over." still they remained

_show them some force..._

The voice made it's precense known again but for once she listened to it.

"I said shoo!" She yelled getting up and stomping the ground which to her surprise shook slightly. after that they scattered.

'what...what was that?' she wondered 'I know I'm strong but I most certainly don't have that kind of strength...wait that was you wasn't it?' she was now mentally speaking to the voice the first time she had acknowledged it's precense. A major turning point and step one for the voice was completed.

_of course it was. who else would have given you strength?_

'well don't do that again...it's scary...'

_scary because you have so much power or scary because I gave it to you?_

'both' at that the voice cackled ceaselessly in her head for some time which she ignored in order to not look like a crazy.

She finished unpacking without further incident. No one had the guts to say anything to her after what had happened.

She flopped down on the couch and wondered aloud "So what now?"

_we could kill..._

the voice cut into her thoughts again not as freindly as before 'NO! jesus what is you're obsession with murder?...who are you? what are you? and where did you come from!' she shot questions at it rapidly it was time for some answers seeing as it just wouldn't go away.

_go to the reactor_

'that isn't an answer'

_it will be when you get there..._

'oh theres no way i'm going now'

_scared?_

'terrified'

_good you should be._

End Chapter 1


	2. Revelations

Chapter 2- Revelation

Weeks went by and Tifa went back to Ignoring the voice in her head and still it urged her to go to the reactor it seemed it had abandoned the idea of killing all together, much to her relief in favor of getting her to go to the reactor why she had to go she didn't understand and it was insistent that if she wanted answers she would have to go there. Somewhere an urge to go was building and it was about to win.

She had set herself up teaching piano lessons now that she was back in Neibelham she saw no reason to have another bar afterall it would only attract trouble and that was the last thing she needed especially with a voice in her head with a penchant for murder.

No she needed a quiet job something relaxing where there wouldn't be any trouble it dawned on her one day when she sat staring at her piano the very same one her mother had bought for her she didn't believe it at first but upon careful inspection she found the spot where she had engraved her name on it so it had to be it. had her house survived the fire? apparently since the things inside seemed to be the same as they were back then. even the old sheet music was here...after that she decided to open up shop and start giving lessons well...after a bit of practicing and getting back into the habit.

But today there would be no lessons because the little voice in her head won today and it was going to take her up into the mountains and to the reactor. when it happened one wouldn't have realised a thing she simply froze for a moment grabbed some belongings and left leaving only a sign on the door.

where one would have noticed is if they looked at her eyes they were purple now. and would remain that way as long as the thing inside her held control. she fought through the monsters of the mountain using the slash all materia she had been given all of them dropping in a single attack. it wasn't untill she came upon a familiar sight that Tifa awakened from her trance and realised what was happening. "oh god...I'm on the mountain...How did you get me all the way here?"

_easily_

the voice laughed.

Tifa gritted her teeth but now was not the time because the sight she had seen was the crablike guardian however it was a new one as this one was red. and it was already in the middle of casting trine she hasitly used shield and ran through the attack un affected in the least. next she cast freeze and froze the creature then attacked shattering it completly. she was greatful that the others had chosen to give her the materia however she feared that the thing inside her would take over and use them against her freinds. "Ooooh that's it! we're going back!" She yelled.

_oh come on...don't stop now...we're so close...and don't you want to know the answers?_

"Honestly...no I'd rather put up with you and not know what's going on than go up there and find out something horrible." She said simply

_hahaha...ignorance is bliss...but what you don't know CAN hurt you._

at that Tifa turned around again and started toward the reactor if there was something up there that would be dangerous later that meant that hopefully it wasn't so dangerous right now and she could kill it or whatever before it was

She arrived at the twilight hours and the reactor seemed to glow in the light.

_welcome...home_

'home?' she thought but shook it off and went inside. it seemed empty enough at first untill she saw them. in the containment cells lined up in the heart of the reactor were a new batch of monsters growing or were they supposed to be superhumans like Sephiroth?

'what is this?...explain and why show me?'

_this is our family...he is here too...he will explain_

'he?' she asked but the voice abandoned her. for the first time when she finally wanted it to speak it would say nothing.

"These things?...family? what the hell is it talking about...?" she wondered aloud before sitting on the steps. Just then she heard footsteps she jumped up in defensive stance and waited for whatever it was to appear.

"Hello there." he spoke from the shadows stepping forward. Tifa almost screamed the voice seemed different but sure enough from the shadows stepped a man in black with silver hair and a smirk on his face.

"S..Sephiroth...?" she stuttered

"haha no I'm not him...though I'm flattered you think so I was afterall hoping to look like him. what do you think father?" he asked up into the air.

Tifa stiffened Sephiroth was here she knew it she could feel him but she wasn't sure how. She heard something hit the floor behind her and whirled around. At first it was just a mass of black but it began to rise and she spotted the sliver hair 'no...' the mass rose and shown it was a black cape. 'god no...not him not now not here...' and he turned around to show his face the ever present smirk and masamune in his hand. Inside Tifa was screaming her head off. But she wouldn't show her fear of him even if she was alone and there was another who looked just like him behind her. wait...behind, She started to move but it was too late he grabbed her.

"Good boy Kadaj...Now then...why are you here woman? and where are your freinds?" he asked

Tifa debated lying and telling him Cloud would come but she figured he'd actually wait on him and be rather angry when he figured out she lied. "they aren't here...I came alone." She said

He tilted his head in confusion. "alone? why?"

"I simply had to come...someone...or rather something told me to." she said she wasn't sure why she was telling him everything perhaps fear of death despite being sure he'd kill her anyway. perhaps it was the fact that she'd been told he would explain everything. But coming from a mysterious voice that wanted to kill that wasn't very reliable. She wondered if since she wouldn't let the voice inside her out to kill that it decided to be sastisfied with at least getting her killed.

"hmph. sure. you expect me to..." Sephiroth began but paused in mid sentance

"Oh I see...mother...I understand..." He said after a moment

"Mother?...you mean Jenova?" Tifa asked fearing the creature would appear before her as well.

"Yes of course...release her Kadaj." He ordered and it was done Kadaj backed away to avoid any retaliation she might have had. But she had none if Sephiroth was going to let her live she wasn't going to give him reason to change his mind not if it meant she could go and get the others and come kill him again.

"Come" He said motioning for her to follow. She hesitated but obeyed. "all of these beings you see here...will be a unique individual but with abilities similar to my own. None will quite be on my level of course but they will be far more powerful than the average man. or even monster." He told her as they continued. he stopped when he came to the door marked Jenova.

"And that, is Mother's room...she made all this possible...or rather you did." he turned to her.

"what?" she was lost

"you said something told you to come here no?...well guess who that was?" He said with a grin.

The blood drained from Tifa's face. "no...god no She's INSIDE ME!" She screamed.

"exactly." was the simple reply.

_hahahaha now you know..._

"...how?...when?" Tifa asked incoherantly now sinking to her knees. the pure horror of it all still sinking in as she imagined the monster bursting out of her body when it was ready and killing everyone she cared about.

"Father I think she's broken." Kadaj cut in.

"No this is just momentary...watch." Sephiroth told him knowing all to well what was next.

Tifa's shocked and fear turned to anger and she got up and she didn't care if she died or not but she swung at Sephiroth without so much as a word. that he hadn't expected but it hit him nonetheless and he was knocked on his backside.

"you...you did this didn't you!" She said angrilly.

_oh so NOW you're ready to kill..._

Jenova cut in.

"Shut up Jenova!" She shrieked and couldn't believe she was actually talking to her or it...whatever.

"hahahaha...don't be angry at me I had nothing to do with it. You're the fool who allowed her into you." He told her. standing again.wiping blood from his mouth she had a good punch he was most pleased with that fact.

Kadaj had tensed when he saw Sephiroth fall and was ready to attack Tifa but he held his place Sephiroth had told him to watch so he would do just that.

"Bastard...so what do you intend to do with me now?" She asked.

"Nothing you can go if you like but Jenova will simply bring you back here when she wishes. So you might as well stay." he reasoned

_no...if she dissapears people will begin looking for her..._

Jenova spoke to both of them now.

"I see...but if she goes back she can simply inform those freinds of hers..." He argued.

_true but will they accept a monster as their freind?_

"They will find a way to rid me of you." Tifa interrupted.

"there is no way unless Jenova has another body to go into...and don't you worry She'll have one of her own soon enough and we'll be done with you." He told her.

"done with me? as In I can go?" she hoped.

"I don't care by then it won't matter if you get your freinds or not because our freinds here will be ready by then.Now I'm going out Kadaj watch her and keep her out of trouble for now." He ordered

"Wait where do you think you're going and leaving me here with this weirdo wannabe and these...things?" She asked

"Would you rather be coming with me, the monster you faced before?" He asked

"Actually...Yes, You I know, but if these things here start coming out I don't know what they'll do and that guy's been looking at me funny...I'll take the Devil I know over the Devil I don't any day." She told him. He shrugged

"Fine If Jenova has no argument then come." He told her. and took off through the roof.

"HEY! I can't do that ya know!" She yelled.

_yes we can..._

Jenova informed her and next thing she knew she took off after him. Tifa sighed obviously Jenova could take over her body whenever she wanted so why had she been so adamant about her choosing to go to the reactor?

They landed somewhere familiar but it didn't register at first with tifa untill Sephiroth disaapeared into a cave behind a waterfall. "oh god...this is..." She realised recognizing it to be lucratia's cave.She hurried in after him but stopped in the opening immidiately. Vincent was there...likely looking for lucrecia. as apparently Sephiroth was.

"You" they both said at the same time. Immidiately afterwards a fight ensued Sephiroth lunging at Vincent with a slash and Vincent jumped back firing a shot off but Sephiroth spun on one heel and avoided it when he brought the other back down he slashed again this time he got a piece of Vincent's Cloak as he rolled under the attack he fired again this time into Sephiroths' gut but he shrugged it off and snatched Vincent up with his free hand and held him by the throat. Masamune was about to run him through when Tifa came screaming into the room and dove grabbing Vincent and moving both him and herself out of the way.

"Tifa?" Vincent said in disbelief.

"Woman what are you doing?" Sephiroth asked as if he couldn't believe she had just done that.

"You can't kill vincent!" She yelled. Vincent took the opportunity to take aim but now it was Jenova's turn she took over and knocked the gun away as he fired.

"Why did you do that!" Vincent asked

Sephiroth was advancing again.

"NO Stop. Neither of you are allowed to kill the other yet understood?" Sephiroth glared at her but then came to realize Jenova was in control He sheathed his sword. and turned away "the woman obviously isn't here so we're leaving." he said plainly and started walking Vincent was lost.

"tifa?" he asked turning to her. he saw the purple eyes only for a moment as they faded back to normal color.

"I...I'm sorry Vincent...I can't explain..." 'no I don't _want_ to explain...' "but...I have to go with him...please tell the others though...I may need help... he's looking for..."

"WOMAN COME ON" Sephiroth bellowed angrily.

Against her will her body began to move and she knew it was Jenova's doing.

"looking for what?" Vincent asked

"A body..." Was all she got to tell him as she was once again jerked into the air. This time by Sephiroth himself he had grabbed her by the arm and taken off.

"What did you tell him?" Sephiroth demanded

"...nothing." She lied

"Don't lie to me I heard you clearly." He told her

"then if you heard me why would you have to ask?" She asked

"Because I wanted to know if you were dumb enough to lie to me or if you were smart enough to realize that if I knew you told him something that I must have heard you." He explained

they were silent for a long time before she spoke

"So..where are we going now?" She asked

"Stop that." He said

"stop what?" she asked

"Trying to start a conversation it's annoying." He told her

"You're just like Vincent." She sighed.

Sephiroth frowned "what's that supposed to mean?"

"I thought you wanted me to stop talking now you want to have a conversation?" she shot back

"Damnit woman just tell me." He said impatiently.

"Vincent is the quiet type like you. doesn't like much conversation. he'll be quite angry if lucretia is who you're after..." she told him

"like I care?" he replied

"She was his lover if you mess with her he's likely to kill you. He's the only one besides Cloud who probably has that kind of power on his own..." She muttered more to herself but Sephiroth heard it anyway.

"What're you talking about what 'power' does he have?" Sephiroth asked stopping in midair.

'damnit...I really do talk to much.' she thought.but now she had to tell him or risk his wrath.

"He transforms into a demon. it's name is Chaos and I'm quite sure Chaos is more than capable of defeating _you_." She said you with venom and hate.

"heh you're mistaken haven't you heard? I'm an angel angels always beat the demons." He chuckled.

"you being an Angel is just some twisted joke hojo played...an Angel of Destruction." she said looking down at the scenery.

"think what you will...but the fact remains that is what I am." He said and came to a stop in what was left of midgar. Apparently Reeve hadn't planned to build the new midgar here but somewhere else.

"why are we here now?" She asked

"the time for talk is over be silent now." He warned. she wasn't sure why but she obeyed he seemed to be looking for something. his eyes scanned the area and behind them a large Dinosaur or at least that's what it looked like came out of the trees running straight for Tifa she was certain she was dead she had turned around be had no time to do anything when a flash of black and silver flew by her and before she knew it a cry rang out and all that was left was a bloody mess. she imagined it must have been the same with the midgar zolom when he killed it.

She stood there in a sort of shock he'd just saved her life.

"t...thank you..." She said stammering

"Don't get any ideas I don't like you or anything but mother is still inside you so I must protect you for now." He told her.

"Oh...right I see..." She said following him a little more willingly now and a bit more closely if he was going to protect her she was going to take full advantage of it. Somehow knowing she was safe made her a bit more comfortable around him despite knowing everything she knew about him and what he intended to do.

"She is here...she must be" He muttered then he spotted it. Aeris' Church. Tifa saw it too she gasped amazed it was still standing and for a moment she half expected to see Aeris' tending the flowers there. He stepped inside cautiously she swore the man was always on guard even though he had the most potential power on the planet despite the fact that Cloud was currently more powerful than him. Sephiroth had never been challenged that's why he hadn't reached his potential. Whereas Cloud had been put through hell by him and as such reached far greater power than he should have.

"What're waiting for woman? Another monster to attack you? Get in here" he commanded and she obeyed she had become pretty obidient after he saved her life back there whether it was gratitude or a new found fear due to the reminder of how powerful he was she wasn't sure.

When Tifa entered there was Lucratia. apparently she had moved from the waterfall to the remains of Midgar "Finally...there's mother's new body." He said

"What? wait...but she IS your mother...your real mother the one who gave birth to you!" Tifa said and this got Lucretias attention she hadn't noticed them at first but now that Tifa had yelled she looked at them. and gasped "My son?...Sephiroth?" She looked at him she was overjoyed to see him again. A mothers love can be a terrible thing they say...this would be one such case.

"What're you talking about woman? I wasn't born I was created." He said angrily turning to Tifa.

"No you're wrong...you were born I can prove it! Hojo told us everything He was your father and this is your mother. though Vincent should have been the father Hojo did something...something horrible...he decided since it was not his child he would change it and make it his and while doing so he decided to create something even greater...that something was you. You are a human Sephiroth albeit genetically modified and infused with Jenova cells and mako and all that...but you are still human somewhere in there." She told him.

Lucratia had made her way over to them and looked up at the towering figure of her son. "Sephiroth...I don't konw what they told you or what they did to you...but I must apologize for whatever you had to endure...it was my fault...I know about what you did..and I don't care...just tell me...look me in the eyes and recognize me as your mother...that's all I want." She pleaded her blue eyes gazing into his. Slowly he realized it was true the look in her eyes her body language the silver hair everything it pointed to both of them telling the truth.

"but...Jenova..." he started

"Jenova is the reason you survived what Hojo did to you." Lucratia informed him "If it were not for her cells you would have died in the process. I suppose that is why she considers you her child as well."

"you see? you jumped to conclusions that day...and they were all wrong..." Tifa said

"Shut up! both of you!" Sephiroth sat down his sword proped up beside him. "So what am I supposed to do now?" He wondered aloud.

_Stick to the plan_

"how can I? You lied to me Jenova." He said

_I did no such thing you assumed I was your only mother and that you had no father I never told you that and you never asked either._

"Damnit!" He yelled slashing the church wall leaving a sizable hole in it.

"Sephiroth...It's ok...do what you came here to do." Lucratia told him...A mothers love was a terrible thing indeed.

End Chapter 2


	3. Rebirth

Chapter 3 - Rebirth

Two days after the events at the church in Midgar Sephiroth still wasn't the same his entire world had been thrown for a loop he seemed to regain some sense of Direction when Jenova and Lucratia became one but still he was off a bit.

When the two of them became one Lucratia's body changed entierly it went from aging to young and beautiful and when Jenova was in control it changed again. Jenova herself was also a beauty an enchanting being with long brown hair and green eyes. her skin was a light brown similar to the skin tone of the monster form but now she was human in appearance it seemed this was her original form when she appeared to the Cetra. Lucratia gained control when Jenova didn't wish to be bothered and her appearance had become that of her younger years when Vincent had fallen for her her silver hair regained it's shine and her once dulled eyes held a spark in them again. As for Tifa it was decided that they would keep her. She hadn't put up much of a fight about it either especially not after the others in the reactor had awoken from their capsules and were up and about. She knew there was nothing she could do but she had complained that he had said they were done with her. to which Sephiroth simply replied "would you prefer I kill you?" given that option she decided to stay and make the best of a bad situation.

They had moved from the reactor to the remains of Midgar taking residence in the old Shinra building. Now Tifa spent her time conversing with Lucratia when she was available even sometimes Jenova now that she had her body she wasn't so full or rage and hatred it was a rebirth of sorts and her bloodlust seemed to vanish. Now she was calm almost quiet even and there was something about her when you saw her that made you want to talk to her. however soon their plans for Tifa would be made clear.

One day Jenova simply sat down across from Tifa. Which to begin with was not a good sign.

"Tifa..." She began her voice soft and soothing. it was amazing how perfect she seemed. Tifa could understand her fury at losing her body. But then it was always the most dangerous things that hid in the guise of beauty.

"Yes?" Tifa responded staring lazily out the window she had grown a little _too_ comfortable around them however knowing she couldn't go anywhere and there was no hope of fighting her way out and that as long as she behaved she would be ok...well she had no reason to do anything but to just hope they'd decide to release her one day either that or die trying to escape...in this case she preferred the former option as Lucratia was fairly good comapny. Though Kadaj and the other creations still creeped her out.

"Do you want to know why I had Sephiroth keep you here?" She asked

Tifa sat up and looked at her. "I'd love to know actually I'm no use to you and obviously no threat...so why am I here?"

"Because we may be powerful and all but without some women we have no means to reproduce...our kind will die out you see all of the ones we produced turned out to be male not surprising since they were all based on Sephiroth in some way...so you will simply have to serve as a test subject to see if we that is our kind can breed with humans." Jenova said it casually as if she were asking her to scoot over or to borrow a pen.

"w...W...What!" Tifa yelled

"Calm down.. " Jenova said with a glare and Tifa instantly froze she hadn't seen any anger come out of the new Jenova and she didn't want to when she glared at Tifa the entire air about her changed and it suddenly felt cold and she was out of breath as if the world around her air and all was trying to escape Jenova's glare.

"I don't have a choice in this do I?" Tifa asked

"Of course you do...just the alternatives aren't very good" Jenova replied.

Tifa lowered her head with a sigh she felt like crying in her head she imagined Jenova tossing her in a room along with Kadaj and his freinds and...she shivered the thought of being raped by them was terrifying and gross at the same time. "I will not be some breeding machine for your beasts you created those things downstairs you call 'your kind' are horrible monsters and I will die before I allow any of them to get even close..." Tifa was finally getting everything off her chest. But Jenova silenced her by standing and giving her another of those looks this time however it was truly full of fury and Tifa realized she how much she had insulted Jenova obviously not a smart thing to do.

"you...will take all of that back or I will kill you myself slowly and painfully and I'll keep you alive just to torture you again the next day." Jenova threatened her voice was so cold and hateful that Tifa couldn't believe it was the same person but now she figured this was the 'real' jenova the one that destroyed the ancients."you are lucky to be chosen for this we could easily just snatch some woman off the streets and use her. "It is a privelage to be selected to join us and we are NOT Monsters my children are simply still growing all of them will eventually look somewhat like Kadaj would you call him a monster too? or Sephiroth?"

Tifa stood there frozen she didn't know what to say or do she was terrified of Jenova at this moment hell the planet was terrified of Jenova right now she could fell everything in the room seemingly trying to leave.

"I...I...uh..." she stammered stupidly before regaining some sense and finding a line that hopefully would save her, "I'm sorry...I just...I refuse to let you just throw me in some room and let them have at it like I were a piece of meat." She replied as sternly as she could manage.

Jenova almost burst into a laugh. "Is THAT all you were worried about? " she shook her head. "What kind of barbarien do you take me for? I never said anything like that did I? I simply said you will be used I didn't say how."

'wrong choice of words' Tifa thought figuring she had only managed to Insult Jenova more. the bright cheery exterior was in place again and going full blast a fact that troubled Tifa more than anything. "Alright...Alright...I apologise I take it all back I wouldn't call Sephiroth a monster..." 'no he's a monster of another kind...' she thought "

"Of course even you may not produce the best...which is why we're going to subject you to a heavy dose of Mako before anything." Jenova told her. Tifa's eyes widened

"Mako?...but...couldn't that kill me?" She stated trying to convince Jenova to think of something else...or rather nothing at all.

"Possibly yes...but only if we weren't paying attention if it becomes apparent your body is rejecting the Mako we will pull you out. besides that you should be fine and you should be thanking me I'm not only about to give you more power than you ever imagined but I'm giving you a choice among the most powerful men on the planet." Jenova said sipping a cup of cofee.

"You're forgetting something..first all of them would sooner kill me than anything and second the feeling is mostly mutual." Tifa said

"That may be...but that is only because they've assumed you belong to either Kadaj or Sephiroth since the two of them are the only ones who speak to you however in the case of Sephiroth none of them would dare touch you but in the case of Kadaj you're not so invincible. I suggest you pick wisely because once word gets out it's open season." Jenova warned.

Then Tifa had an Idea. "Alright I'll go through the Mako process or whatever you're gonna do..." She had a plan whatever strength the mako would give her may have been enough to get her out...hopefuly.

"Good" Jenova stood and left.

Sephiroth came in shortly after from the door on the opposite side. Whether or not Jenova had sent him in Tifa wasn't sure but it sure was damn convinient.

He stood by the window and didn't speak.Something was in his hand but she couldn't see what.

"Did Jenova send you in here?" Tifa asked suddenly.

"No." He replied

"Then why are you just standing there? it's annoying." She said and almost gasped she was starting to sound like him.

He turned to look at her. "You sound like me. _that_ is annoying." he replied.

"and I came in here to ask you if you knew what Nibelham really was..." He trailed off.

"what do you mean? I know it's a fake town now...Shinra rebuilt it to cover up what you did." She said

"So you didn't know...Neibelham was a Shinra testing ground it's always been a fake town...did you really think they'd build The Shinra mansion there and allow the public to exist in the area? too many people hated shinra for that they'd have been complete fools to have built a place for executives like that and allow the public to get so close. A sniper could have easily taken out anyone staying there." He explained

"but..I thought they stopped using it for that reason...wait...what're you saying?" She asked

"I'm saying that if you lived there you don't know it but you aren't normal...neither is that blonde freind of yours..." He asked

"What're you talking about? we're perfectly normal! we lived normal lives there..." she said

"hah...so you think, I didn't know about it either untill now I've been digging through Shinra's files in my spare time. Which we all have nothing but at the moment untill Jenova announces our next move. It seems you and He were both test subjects the difference is you were experimented on as an infant which resulted in the odd crimson tint in your eyes...however your freind he's a complicated one...there were 3 of him actually the first died before he was even born the second died when he tried to stop me in Niebelham the third is the one you know now but the thing is they grew him in a tube...they merged the second with the third and his memories wound up meshed up that's why he's so screwed up. in additon they modified his body even further trying to create another me. I'd say they did ok." he told her looking her in the eyes. it had a chilling effect on her as if he was looking through her.

Tifa sat there in shock. "no...that can't be true...you're lying!" she yelled

Sephiroth sighed. "Of course I am" He said sarcastically and tossed a file on the table "Read it yourself." Tifa just stared at it the folder was labeled "Neibelham Project" she could see there were labeled tabs with her name Cloud's and a couple others she didn't know.

"Neibelham was a holy place in some religion...they took the name because they tried to create a holy cradle from which divine beings would be born but they failed and If I had to guess I'd say Hojo had it shut down angry that anyone dared try and recreate his work." Sephiroth said.

"So what exactly did they do to me?" Tifa asked

"Alot of things...your appearance was predetermined they wanted a beautiful girl and also it's because of that you have the strength you do now. you have other abilities you don't even know about obviously you've never awakened them because you were never shown how or even told they existed. I suppose I messed that one up for you." He told her.

"I didn't read all of it I don't really care to know _your_ secret past so. I decided to show it to you and let you discover your past for yourself while you have a chance." He told her.

"But why?" she asked

He paused for a moment his face showing the first signs of any emotion other than anger or slight amusement she'd ever seen come from him.

"Because I know what it's like to discover your life was a lie." He said simply and left.

"sephiroth..." She whispered following him with her eyes.

She sat there for awhile staring at the folder unsure whether to open it or if she really wanted to know what was inside it how would she know if it was really true or not? after what seemed like hours she opened the folder hesitantly and flipped through it briefly and stopped when she saw a picture of Zack.

"he's involved in this too?" She wondered aloud. now she was interested she remembered him from Neibelham he had been with Sephiroth when they came but...he hadn't lived in Neibelham so how was he involved in this? as she began to read her eyes slowly widened there was more information there than she had ever imagined could have been hidden about any of them. What really got her attention was when she came across a subfolder labeled "Acension" when she opened it at first she was confused all she saw were pictures of Angels or at least that's what they looked like. then as she continued she came across one she recognized 'Sephiroth' was written below it and sure enough it was the angelic form he had taken in their final battle. what did this mean? had there been others like him? people who didn't even know their hidden power like he hadn't untill he had discovered the truth in Neibelham? if that were the case then there were more than enough walking around out there to destroy the planet many times over if any of them had at least half the power of Sephiroth. She also noted that Sephiroth was not the last picture but there was one more after him, had there been some secret project commissioned after Sephiroth's dissapearance? Then sudden realization hit her and she knew what all of this meant. She flipped forward hoping to find pictures or some documnetation on what these 'angels' looked like in their human forms and eventually she found it.

Pictures acompanied by breif bios and mental and physical evaluations. she wasn't concerned with all that right now though she just wanted to see the last one and sure enough once again there was one right after Sephiroth but when she saw it the picture hadn't been of who she expected. she gasped and almost fainted with shock.

Later Jenova was wandering the halls looking for Tifa it was quite annoying searching for a single person in this massive building. honestly it was larger than she liked but Sephiroth had insisted on coming here and refused to stay anywhere else. She asked a couple of the guys that had come out of the pods most of which were still unnamed as it was decided they would come up with their own names and none of them knew where she was. Finally she spotted Kadaj he would know where Tifa was he always did it was like he kept a tracking beacon on the girl.

"Kadaj do you know where Tifa is? I need to speak to her. Kadaj turned and stared at her surprised Jenova had lost track of their little prisoner not that there was much need to watch her, she wasn't going anywhere, not when most of the others made their homes here on the main floor where all the exits are.

"She was headed towards the roof last I saw of her. I didn't bother to follow her because if you hadn't noticed she doesn't like me much and I'd rather not end up on the recieving end of one of her punches." He replied remembering when she had hit Sephiroth when she first showed up that had been one hell of a punch and he went back to what he was doing, which co-incidently happened to be polishing his blade.

Jenova didn't say anything more and went to the roof walking was so tiring so she levitated her way up through the countless flights of stairs and eventually onto the rooftop level where she found Tifa standing looking out at the scenery.Darkness everywhere you looked the massive growth of trees and other plants had taken over all of midgar except for this one building it was as if they refused to touch it. Like the smooth stone or icy looking windows could sap the very life out of them and perhaps that really was why no plant life touched it however it did make for a good view of midgar...what was left anyway the now forest overrun city was teeming with the sounds of wild life something Tifa never imagined would ever happen in a place like this. She'd forgotten all about that plan of hers more concerned with the new things she'd discovered today.

Jenova simply stood there staring at her for awhile before tapping her on the shoulder she jumped and turned around. expecting to see Kadaj or one of the others but calmed a bit when she saw Jenova she didn't know why but she was oddly comfortable around her she gave off that sort of aura perhaps thats why the ancients had been so willing ot take her in. Likely it was also why she had so easily been able to cause their downfall and there was yet another reason something she'd only recently learned that could explain alot but she would say nothing of it for now. If anyone she would tell Sephiroth simply because he showed her the damned file to begin with and if only to see what he had to say about it he always knew so much more than he let on or was willing to tell.

"Come on It's time for you to keep your word" Jenova told her.

"Already?" She asked and Jenova simply nodded

"Alright...let's go then." Tifa's voice was suddenly full of regret and dread she feared Jenova would try and turn her into some kind of mako being or something which in truth wasn't far from what Jenova wanted but not what she was actually going to do.

"Come on then...I wish I could make you into something greater but that body of yours will simply have to do otherwise I'd end up killing you and that is not acceptable." Jenova told her leading her down the halls.

"uhm...Jenova..."Tifa began she was beginning to think perhaps she _should_ tell Jenova what she had learned.

"What now?" She asked turning to face Tifa impatiently a hint of anger on her otherwise calm face.

"I..I think there's something you need to know..."

Sephiroth was sitting in what once was the presidents office kicked back in the chair he was growing impatient sitting around like this. by now Tifa's freinds obviously knew she was missing and must have been looking for her by now. If by some fluke they decided to come here there would be problems... he didn't like not knowing when they may be coming in the past he had always had an idea as to how long it would be before Cloud showed up and he could simply dissapear and lead the fool along the trail. This time things were different he was hidden and trying to stay that way untill Jenova decided it was time they revealed themselves. Just what it was she was planning he had no idea he didn't care either as long as somewhere along the way he got revenge. Yes Killing Cloud would be good and he'd do it in front of Tifa. Why? Because for some reason he felt he needed to as if he were proving something. Not out of any particular hatred for her. No Cloud was the only one he was concerned with. The only one who would feel the hateful wrath of the great Sephiroth. Now if they would just hurry up and get here...or Jenova allow them to do something...He sighed heavily he was utterly bored and tired of looking through old Shinra files for imformation sure knowledge was power but one only needed so much to acomplish the everything he or she would ever need to do. Still after awhile he found simply sitting still staring at the wall or out the windows was far less entertaining and began he search anew.

About an hour or so later he found one that looked remotely interesting marked "Neo Midgar Project" however as he sat down with it Jenova came bursting into the room "Sephiroth! you simply must see this! it's astounding!" She said in utter excietment Sephiroth had never known her to get like this so immidiately he was intriged and at the same time somewhat worried if she was excited then something had happened. He hope she hadn't done anything to Tifa he still needed to use her as bait. Still he set down the folder without a word and got up to go look in the hall was Tifa or was it? This girl had green eyes Tifa's were a deep burgundy almost red. but then he noticed the familiar glow of mako swirling in them no rather...dominating them there was no trace of her old eye color just pure mako and suddenly he understood.

"What did you do?" He asked his mother without looking at her. as she walked up beside him.

"Improved her." She said simply "Or rather...awakened and just you wait till you she what she can do." Jenova replied with a grin.

END CHAPTER 3

Okay Okay...I know you're all wondering What the heck happened to Tifa and all but don't worry she's still her...sort of...well it's complicated okay! Sheesh...I'll begin to shed light on everything soon enough


	4. Searching for Cloud

Chapter 4- The Search For Cloud

_"Tifa?" Vincent said in disbelief._

_"Woman what are you doing?" Sephiroth asked as if he couldn't believe she had just done that._

_"You can't kill vincent!" She yelled. Vincent took the opportunity to take aim but now it was Jenova's turn she took over and knocked the gun away as he fired._

_"Why did you do that!" Vincent asked_

_Sephiroth was advancing again._

_"NO Stop. Neither of you are allowed to kill the other yet understood?" Sephiroth glared at her but then came to realize Jenova was in control He sheathed his sword. and turned away "the woman obviously isn't here so we're leaving." he said plainly and started walking Vincent was lost._

_"tifa?" he asked turning to her. he saw the purple eyes only for a moment as they faded back to normal color._

_"I...I'm sorry Vincent...I can't explain..." 'no I don't want to explain...' "but...I have to go with him...please tell the others though...I may need help... he's looking for..."_

_"WOMAN COME ON" Sephiroth bellowed angrily._

_Against her will her body began to move and she knew it was Jenova's doing._

_"looking for what?" Vincent asked _

_"A body..." Was all she got to tell him as she was jerked into the air by Sephiroth._

Vincent was sitting in a corner of the highwind going over those events that took place in the waterfall over and over again. he had done as she said gotten help he had tracked down all of the others except for Cloud he was nowhere to be found. He had gone to the waterfall straight away and had waited there hoping lucretia would return but then he had run into _them_. So he hadn't a clue where cloud had gone and apparently no one else did either. Then there was still the matter of they had no idea where to look for Tifa or Sephiroth or even if she was still alive. The whole thing looked bad they were minus Cloud and Tifa was captured and obviously not herself and it had taken some time for him to gather everyone since he did not have the aid of the airship at first he had also wound up wnadering aimlessly in search of Corel he hadn't a clue where it was he hadn't been there when they'd gone the first time so instead he rounded up yuffie and nanaki both of which knew where it was he was embarrased to discover Corel was the pathectic mass of tents they'd passed through on the way to gold saucer but then how could he have known? he'd never asked any questions and beause of that he'd wasted alot of valuable time a couple weeks worth to be exact.

He kept trying to explain those eyes...the breif flash of purple he had seen but nothing came to him. Why? just why had she saved Sephiroth? Was he not the enemy? and just what had she meant when she said he was looking for a body? whose body? and for what?

_"Obviously the woman isn't here..."_ It suddenly clicked and he stood up quickly

"We must find Lucretia!" he said urgently the others turned to him startled by his sudden outburst.

"What're you talking about?" Yuffie asked the most confused of all and most surprised that she had been called back into their little group. She half expected them to be glad to be rid of her. She had afterall caused quite a bit of trouble for them along the way.

"Lucretia is in danger it was her Sephiroth was looking for. he want's to use her for something...or her body at least but for what I'm not quite sure..." He explained now the gears in his head were turning he understood why Lucretia hadn't been at the waterfall she must have sensed that he was coming for her. She did still seem to have an odd connection to him. but what was Tifa's part in this? then the purple eyes came to him they hadn't appeared untill she moved to save Sephiroth perhaps that was not her own doing but someone...or something else inside her...'Jenova' he thought it all made sense now Jenova was alive and hiding within Tifa and must have been inside her since they left the northern crater. meanig she had ample time to learn the workings of Tifa's body and mind before making her presence known and it was likely she only did so after Tifa was all alone So no one would know what had happened or that the world was still in danger untill it was too late...and it meant that Sephiroth intended to give Jenova lucratias body...assuming he hadn't already.

"A body?" the hell?" Barret chimed in.

"I'm still figuring it all out honestly...but I think I know now. I think he wants to use Lucretias body to house the soul of Jenova." after he said that the room was silent the implications of what that meant were huge.

"We have to find Cloud." Nanaki interruped.

"Yes it would be wise to find him first it's likely that in all this time of aimless wandering Sephiroth has already found Lucretia." Vincent admitted as much as he hated to.

"well where did ol spikey head start off at?" Yuffie asked

"we dropped him off at kalm...he said he wanted to start from the beginning again...whatever the Fuck that means" Cid answered

"Start from the beginning..." Vincent had an idea what that meant.

"You got an idea?" Barret asked.

"Hey! I know he wants to go back through everything again!" Yuffie suddenly shouted proud of herself for figuring it out as quickly as Vincent.

"Correct" Vincent said looking down at her. "He probably started in Kalm just because it was the the first actual town that still remains as Midgar is now only ruins..."

"Wait but what about Aeris church? that was in Midgar! I'd bet he went back there to see that at least. after all it was where he met Aeris." Barret said remembering how Cloud had told them all to leave him behind after the incident at the reactor and it blew up they'd all thought he was dead for sure when he fell. But somehow the spikey headed bastard managed to survive he had a habit of doing that. Making people think he was dead just to show up later like nothin' even happened.

"I see...so he would have to have gone to kalm anyways as a forest too thick to land in surrounds midgar...so he went backwards first then started forward again...meaning he went to kalm then midgar and back to kalm...where did you go after that?" Vincent asked

"we wound up at the chocobo farm...then through the moss fields on a chocbo past the midgar Zolom...then we wound up by fort condor and from there Junon." Barret recalled it was forunate he was there he was the only one left who was there from the beginning otherwise no one would have had any idea where to go.

"Let's head to Junon then...and hope he's taken his good time in going from place to place." Vincent replied.

"Aight then Junon it is!" Cid announced and the highwind was on it's way it only took a shrot while as they had been headed in that direction to begin with the first idea was to go to north crater again but that would have been too easy sephiroth wouldn't have returned there besides it was sealed off now anyway the whole thing collapsed in and unto itself.

When they arrived in Junon they found it was lively and had become a bustling town even on the lower levels apparently without Shinra all the soldiers had simply quit and just served as peace keepers now when they were needed they still stayed in the barracks and whatnot but many of them had simply gone home to their families.

Junon itself had expanded the people living beneath the second level where the cannon used to be house had moved from under it and built more homes there in the sunlight some remained under it because without the cannon there was alot more light down below and some of the fish had started to come back however in the new section of Junon things were bustling fishing was the name of the game and everyone had plenty.

"Wow...how're we ever gonna find Cloud in all this?" Yuffie asked.

"We find Prescillia" nanaki replied

"Precillia?" Vincent said questioningly

"She was a lil girl that almost drowned. cuz of some water monster we kicked it's ass but afterwards She was laying uncouncious when she got knocked down she fell face first into the water so basically she was drowning. Cloud saved her life with CPR." Barret explained.

"Oh yea I remember that.." Yuffie chimed in."that was pretty scary." (A/N: I always got Yuffie as soon as there were woods to find her in namely right after you go past the midgar zolom and are on the way to junon which is why I had her at Junon. and I'm asusming most of you that used her did the same thing.)

"I see...so it's likely he drop by to see how she's doing." Vincent said

"awright people split up and find Precillia if you see her tell her you're a freind of Clouds and we're all looking for him." barret said taking on a leader role yet again. without Cloud it seemed no one had much of an issue with him leading afterall he had founded AVALANCHE he WAS still the leader just everybody turned to Cloud more often when he was around even Barret.

the search took hours Junon had truly become a massive place the obvious place to start was where her old house had been but it turned out she had been one of the ones who moved. so now they had to wander around asking people if they knew her. untill finally Yuffie spotted the old man from before.

"Heeeeeyyyy!" She called running to him. He looked startled at first untill he recognized her.

"You're that ninja girl that was with that Blonde boy that saved Precilla." He said simply

"Yep" She said with a nod "Have either you or Precilla seen him? He went exploring but now we need to find him it's really important!" she said urgently he looked at her for a moment sure he'd seen Cloud but Cloud had said if anyone came looking for him to tell them he hadn't seen him. But this sounded really important.

"Alright I saw him...now he said not to tell ya'll we saw him but...since this sounds urgent I'll tell ya. He passed through about a week or so ago days ago and stopped by to check on Precilla she was overjoyed to see him natrually...he stayed for two days and then left I he's probably gone through Costa del sol by now I'd say check Cosmo Canyon if you're looking for em" He told her.

"Oh thank you! thanks so much you have no idea how much you just helped!" Yuffie said running off with a wave. eventually the others came back and she reported her findings though now it was way too late and they'd have to blow a day here.

The next morning the headed for costa del sol it was likely Cloud wasn't there but he might have stayed awhile in the condo they bought there.(yea i did that too..) But of course when they got there he wasn't there Yuffie wasn't against wasting another day here though it was nice and they had a place to sleep in that would actually be comfortable well at least for her. She hated that damn airhsip.

The others of course had a problem with that. Still she got some time on the beach at least before they had to go. unfortunately no one here had seen Cloud he must've litteraly just passed through. but to where from there? he could've gone to corel...and then Gold saucer but even Yuffie doubted She'd be lucky enough to find him there...why just her? because she still wanted to have fun and gold saucer was THE fun place so there was no way Cloud would be there when they got there her luck simply wouldn't allow it.

"well he seems to alwaye a step or so ahead of us..." Nanaki said

"yes...I'd wager by now he's in cosmo canyon..." Vincent agreed.

"Then lets head to niebelham!" Yuffie cut in

they looked at her as if she were crazy.

"What? instead of trying to catch him why not just go a step ahead and wait for him there? I mean he's bound to stop in niebelham for awhile he still thinks tifa is there remember? when he finds out he'll likely come lookig for us. and then we'll have no idea where to look. It's better if we just go there and catch him BEFORE he finds out." She said oddly enogh for once not only did she make sense but she was right and had a legitimately good idea.

"Alright to niebelham." Vincent agreed.

"To Niebelham" Cid chimed. and they were off. hopefully if Cloud really was in Cosmo Canyon now they would arrive a little bit before him...not after. they cut some time heading over the mountains to get to niebelham Cloud would have to go the long way.

The highwind rested in front of Niebelham and everyone came pouring out and into the town they found Cloud hadn't gotten here yet much to their relief everyone here wou'dve recognized him they much was certain. though vincent thought it was odd he hadn't arrived despite his almost two week lead on them. he must've stopped somewhere...still they didn't dare wander off and look for him now they would just sit tight and wait. The older man who had spoken to Tifa before came to them around mid-day.

"You're looking for your freind aren't you?" He asked

"how'd you know?" Yuffie asked

"She went missing some time ago she was giving Piano lessons here then one day she just hung a sign on the door and went into the mountains and never came back." He told them.

"oh you meant her...we know Sephiroth has her but we don't know where he's taken her." she told him

"S...Sephiroth! He's still alive?"

"fraid so.."

"Now we're looking for Cloud...ya know spikey hair big sword purple uniform and mako green eyes. tends to have a bit of a brooding attitude?" She said

"Oh him...Haven't seen him yet but I'm afraid for when he gets here...he might turn out to be another Sephiroth when he finds out..." the man seemed to know a little more than he was letting on about Cloud.

"What're you talkin' bout? Cloud would never do that kinda thing!" Barret cut in.

"If you say so." The man replied.

"Jus who are you anyway?" Barret asked

"nobody...just a nameless scientist." was all he said and turned and walked away.

"what was that all about?" Yuffie asked

"hm...I wonder." Vincent muttered.

The rest of the day went by quietly aside from the sound of Yuffie slowly losing her mind to boredom. She was going crazy in this town there was NOTHING to do! no arcades no games no beach no fun! just a dusty old town with gloomy old mountains behind it and a supposedly haunted old mansion which she had gone through countless times now. Vincent returned to the basement of the mansion though this time not to his coffin rather instead to the lab where he began reading. Yuffie had tried to join him a few times but she didn't understand most of it. she kept getting middles and ends of reserch projects she could never find the beginning and since she didn't know anything about any of it to begin with nothing made sense. Vincent tried to help her a little if only to get her to stop bothering him while he read. Untill finally she gave up and started to leave but tripped on a book. shrotly after hitting the floor with a thud and an "OW"

"Stupid friggin book!" She yelled and stood staring at it vehemently as if she were going to murder it yes that's right she was going to murder...a book somehow...and as soon as she figured out how she'd get to it.

she picked it up sitll mad at it. but noticed for once it was the beginning of something. She found that it was the chonical of some of the Experimentation on Cloud. "Uh...Hey Vin...I think you should see this it's probably way over my head and I doubt I'd fully understand what it meant anyway..." She said

"Don't insult yourself you're plenty bright you're just too lazy to actually think." He replied looking at the book she held.

"Gee thanks." She said sarcastically rolling her eyes. "fine I'll read it myself then.." She said taking the book with her as she left she snagged a few others too hopefully they'd help or make some kind of sense.

She set herself up in Tifas place the old guy calling himself a scientist had been gracious enough to open it up for her. She laid on the couch and set the books on the table she had gotten a few looks when she came out of the mansion carrying books. "Whoa yuffie has a brain? and can read!" Cid had said after which she had knocked him upside the head with one of the books.

Barret had simply commented that she looked vaugely like a schoolgirl. she simply glared at him and carried on. Now it was time to read...

She started with the book she had found first and previously planned to murder...however that worked.

"Jenovan revival process...created by professor Alex Hayden." she read aloud.

"The Jenovan revival process it based on the ancient Jenova we discovered it has been found that her cells maintain incredible powers or regeneration. which is likely how she is still alive today although she is not concious which is a double edged sword for us in that we can experiment freely without her protests but we will never truly know where she came from or how she got here or the extent of her powers without being able to speak to her. it is also unknown what kinds of side effects this treatment may have.

We believe that by placing cells from Jenova into the body the cells if accepted will begin a healing process of course the problem is they healing will be restoring non human parts and the recipient will come out a Jenovan...however if we modify the cells to contain Human DNA then we should be able to not only heal the severly wounded but possibly even revive the recently dead or even create entire life forms from scratch!"

Yuffie paused for a moment recalling Sephiroth had said Cloud was created.

"We have chosen two candidates who recently have been killed by Sephiroth both present good challenges for this experiment the first is SOLDIER..Excuse me now Ex-SOLDIER 1st Class Zack from here on refered to as subject A Code Z and regular infantry man Cloud Here on refered to as subject B Code C. A seems to be in fairly good conditon with only a deep gash going from his right shoulder to his left thigh. B however seems to be in far worse condition. He has gashes and cuts all over him and many of his vital organs are damaged it seems he was in direct combat with Sephiroth and apparently faired remarkably well for a grunt. I had been hoping to get my hands on Sephiroth himself but it seems Hojo has taken care of that matter. Meaning no one can touch him.

It is speculated that Sephiroth already has some Jenova cells in him however Hojo is the only one who knows for sure. so it seems I'll have to make do with these specimans...B is totally hopeless however he will give us a chance to test out the process of Growing a new body perhaphs later his memories can be implanted and he can return to his old self honestly we can never be sure given we odn't have anyone here who knows him personally. There was a girl involved somehow as well we found her body in the reactor too however Hojo claimed her as well after seeing she was still alive."

Again yuffie stopped that girl must have been Tifa...it couldn't have been anyone else Her and Cloud were the only survivors of Niebelham...but what about this Zack guy? She'd never heard of him. But apparently he must have been there too and maybe he was still somewhere...like Cloud.

She was about to begin again when the others came barging in. "Heeey! I'm trying to read here!" She whined.

"So? you need to be alone to read?" Cid asked

"No...but you and you are too loud" She said pointing to Cid and Barret.

Behind them Vincent came in followed by Nanaki.

"Oh hey Vin...did you learn anything?" She asked

"nothing related to our current Situation what about you?" he asked

"Actually...I'm learning a little bit about Cloud this is about what really happened here. it seems there was someone else too..Zack?" She threw the name out there hoping someone would recognize it.

"wasn't that old couple looking for a guy named Zack who joined SOLDIER?" Nanaki asked

"Oh right! Zack was the guy in the picture when Cloud lost it again..and he learned his memories weren't entierly his own. or something like that.." Yuffie said somewhat confused the whole thing was too complicated for her taste.

"Correct...but no one knows what happened to him it's assumed he died." Vincent said

"Yea but here it says they revived him and Cloud but it looks like they made a new body for him and somehow put in all his old memories I'm guessing that's why he's all screwed up." She told them.

"I see...So Sephiroth was telling the truth then...it seems theres alot more to Cloud than we ever knew.Keep reading Yuffie we might learn why Sephiroth had such a hold on Cloud that he was able to take control of his body at points." Vincent told her giving a look to Cid and Barret.

"That means you two don't bother her." he added

Silently yuffie cheered for once someone was on her side. She didn't know why but Vincent was like a big brother to her he always seemed to take up for her when she needed it most and yet other than that he left her alone and at times could be as bad as the others when it came to teasing her. of course it was always worse coming from Vincent as he almost never spoke untill recently.

"Nanaki and I will go back into the basement and see what we can find...we need to learn as much as possible before Cloud shows up." Vincent said

"and what're we supposed to do?" Barret asked

"Whatever it is you do...as long as it isn't bothering either Yuffie or Myself and Nanaki." He told them and left.

"Hah! Yuffie said triumphantly sticking her tounge out at them. "Now shoo I need to get back to readin." She said haughtilly.

"Why you..."Cid started untill Barret grabbed his arm.

"Forget it man ain't worth the trouble with Vincent. or the trouble to catch her. Let's jus go find a bar or somethin..." He suggested Cid reluctantly agreed with a nod and they left

Yuffie let out a sigh of relief and got opened the book again. This was gonna be a long night...

End Chapter 4

Discoveries revelations more and more will come to light soon enough...


	5. The Book of Revelations

Chapter 5-The Book of Revelations.

Yuffie awoke with the book she had been reading laying on her chest a blanket that had come from who knows where was covering her. She looked around sleepily and saw Nanaki in the corner. Barret was Slumped in a chair across the room and Cid was nowhere to be seen.

Vincent came in a short while later he looked as if he hadn't slept but then it was hard to tell aside from his eyes. and the fact that his hair wasn't mussed a tell tale sign his head hadn't been hitting any pillows.

"Find anything new?" Yuffie asked with a yawn as he tried to creep silently across the room he froze when he heard her voice and turned to her.

"a few things...but we'll talk about them later.." He replied and continued up the stairs seeing as all the good chairs and the one free corner spot had been taken.

"ok..." Yuffie said in almost a whisper and closed her eyes again she tried to go back to sleep but it wasn't gonna happen so she got up and started making breakfast

When the smell of food began spreading everyone started getting up Nanaki was first. his keen nose picking up the scent long before the others. next was Barret and then Vincent, Cid eventually just waltzed in out of nowhere apparently he had slept on the highwind.

"SO you guys finally up eh!" Yuffie chirped she was so...awake it was painful.

Barret and Cid groaned in unison. "don't...fuckin do that...ever again..." Cid warned

"Do what?" She asked somewhat hyper, apparently she had a little pick me up before hand.

"talk...you're so loud...and my ears are ringin" Cid replied. "mine too" Barret added

"That's what you get for drinkin all night." She teased.

"Yuffie enough.." Vincent cut in. she whined for a moment much to Cid and barret's displeasure and stopped. Nanaki was thoroughly amused by the whole thing.

"I remember now why I came with you all...you're such...interesting people" He said climbing into a seat.

"so...yuffie what did you learn?" Vincent asked suddenly.

"alot of things like for one I'm fairly certain the man who wrote that book I'm readin is the same one who was worried about Cloud becoming another Sephiroth and I also understand why he's worried about that.." Yuffie said

"well? care to explain?" Nanaki asked

"I'm gettin to it!" she shot back taking her seat again Cid and Barret groaned "Sorry..." She said more quietly.

"Cloud isn't human...he used to be but the Cloud we know isn't the real Cloud this one is a copy with the old Clouds memories now this Cloud came almost entierly from Jenova cells.So basically...he IS a Jenova." Yuffie stopped letting that sink in and offering time for anyone to ask any questions but none came just silence.

"Go on we're listening." Vincent said

"Well...he's based loosely on Sephiroth but since there was no egg or sperm involved they had to use the same process that was used to create the lesser clones of Sephiroth basically meaning he's a faulty clone but faulty by intention not definition. They figured out that trying to duplicate the original without using the same process was impossible so instead they created a 'new' original" she finished

"Which is why Sephiroth was able to control him..." Vincent surmised.

"Exactly..there's more though Zack was ressurected using a process drived from modified Jenova cells.He and Cloud escaped the facility which was right here in Niebelham those two tubes in the lab is where they were kept. Zack apparently didn't gain any extra powers or anything from the process but Cloud did when they escaped Cloud followed Zack and they wound up getting all the way to Midgar but then Zack was shot and killed for resisting capture it seems Cloud escaped them at that point."

"an he wound up wit us..." Barret interrupted.

"yea...theres also a report that says he was suffering from something but what isn't clear all I got out of it was that his conciousness is diminishing because of the instability of his mind he was supposed to have either died or gone into a coma and never woken up a long time ago. But something is keeping him going." Yuffie said.

"Sephiroth." Vincent figured

"Most likely..but now that he thinks Sephiroth is dead he'll probably fall apart...I dunno what'll happen to him..I think...he already knows and that's his reason for this trip going back and seeing everyone one last time before he gives in." Yuffie was theorizing now she hadn't used nor shown this much brain power in all the time she had been with them but it was apparent now that she was fairly intelligent.

"ey!..jus when did you get all smart an shit?" barret asked with a slur.

"I didn't 'get' smart I've always been this way...jus I like following better than leading it's easier." She said simply.

"Ok...so now that we know all this what do we do?" Nanaki asked

"wait I have some information of my own" Vincent cut in and all eyes were on him.

"I know now why Sephiroth was after Lucratia." He began

"It seems that they did more to Lucratia than even I knew of...they took large parts of Jenova's genetic structure and grafted it into hers turning her into a sort of half Jenova mix. she gave birth to Sephiroth in this state which only further insured he would be born with immense power and I belive Jenova wants to get the rest of herself or Sephiroth intends to make Lucratia into another Jenova I'm not sure really..."

"So where does Tifa fit into this then?" Yuffie asked

"I believe that she is harboring the conciousness of Jenova and probably doesn't even know it that would explain why Sephiroth took her he'd need her to restore his 'mother' " Vincent stopped at the sound of a loud crash everyone turned to see Cloud standing in the doorway he was just standing there in shock mouth hanging open and everything he'd even dropped his sword too which had been the loud crash they'd all heard.

"Cloud?" Yuffie tried but cloud didn't say anything to her

"H..h..he's alive...he's still alive? and he's got Tifa!" Cloud didn't acknowlegde them only that they'd said Sephiroth was apparently still around and still doing things

"Cloud...how long have you been there?" she tried again

"More than long enough..." He replied his gaze falling on her in a cold way "to know that you all think I'm a monster" he finished and turned to leave

"Cloud wait!" Yuffies words echoed as he lifted his sword again he stopped to turn and look at them all

"What?" He snapped turning around sharply his sword flitted over his head for a second and found it's usual spot on his back.

"We need you Cloud, we don't care what you are or how you came to be we've all been together way too long to start caring about stuff like that now." Yuffie's voice was pleading and she looked as if she were about to cry if he walked out the door.

"what you mean is...you need my strength...the strength of Jenova..." He began but as he stared at her his resolve weakened as her lip began to quiver she felt horribly that she had said what she had said even though he knew that was only because he'd heard her say it it was enough and normally he'd have just said ok right there...but he still had another reason.

"...I can't." he muttered quietly

"Why not cloud?" Vincent cut in

"Because...you heard her my mind is slipping and I can _feel_ it slipping I'm dangerous to be around I might wake up one day and have killed you all in a moment of insanity.

_"insanity?...no...clarity.." _Cloud shook his head pushing away one of the voices that had surfaced in his mind.

"Cloud..." Yuffie started but found she could find no other words to say. Just what could you say to something like that? apparently no one knew.

"We're willing to take that risk...for Tifa" Vincent suddenly spoke up no one had expected it much less that he'd be the one saying something like that.

"for...Tifa?" Cloud repeated as if searching his memory for the name.

_"right...for Tifa...this all began...for Tifa...but...why?"_ his thoughts this time his own and suddenly he realised his memories were beginning to fade.

"For Tifa" Cloud stated again with a nod "so where do we begin?"

"eh...actually we were hoping you might have some ideas...one things for sure though they haven't been anywhere near people and they couldn't have gone back to north crater...since well...it's not really much of a crater anymore." Yuffie told him.

"...have you checked the reactor?...after all that is where everything really began..." Cloud replied

"right! the reactor! that's where Jenova had been being kept right? but...why would he go back there?" Yuffie's question went unanswered as Barret, Cid, Nanaki, and Vincent left following Cloud out the door.

"Gah...geez you guys could at least wait for me!" Yuffie yelled grabing her shuriken and running after them.

It didn't take long for them to run acoss the body of the red crab creature currently Vincent was standing atop what was left of the carcass kneeling beside the hole tifa had punched in its skull.

"Found the cause of death...looks like Tifa's handiwork." he said

"The hell? how can you tell!" Barret asked

"I was a turk remember? I know of pretty much every weapon in exsitence and this could only have been done by a fist hole's too big and rounded to be a sword and it's not a clean puncture so definately nothing bladed, no residual burns so it wasn't a gunshot and on top of it all it's about the exact size of Tifa's fist."He explained

"Alright...so she was here how long ago?" Cloud asked

"can't be certain...but it's been here long enough for animals to find it and feed on it and from the looks of it regularly...so I'd say at least a couple weeks.

"Fuck! A couple weeks? she could be fuckin' anywhere!" Cid yelled his curses echoing through the cave

"yes...especially with Sephiroth as the one leading her around he seems to get around quite quickly without the aid of any sort of vehicle." Vincent replied.

"So what now?" Yuffie asked

"We continue to the reactor maybe there'll be something there it's all we got to go on." Cloud told her and started walking again.

"anywhere but here is fine with me!" yuffie said holding her nose "this thing reeks.."

the area was surprisingly devoid of monsters it seemed almost as if they were shying away from Cloud. Something he took notice of quite quickly. as did Vincent though neither said anything about it.

The reactor itself seemed just as it had been that day which now seemed like a lifetime ago the day Sephiroth discovered the truth and later the day he went to retrieve his mother.

Cloud had an odd sense of something, a sort of ominous feeling as if something would happen but then again he had good reason

everytime he'd stepped foot in this place something terrible happened it was enough to make him wonder if he should just leave and let the others look through the place but the thought didn't occur to him untill he was standing in the center of it all looking at the now opened pods throughout the reactor.

"So...they _did_ survive. Or maybe...he created more" Cloud muttered _"But not like us"_ He looked around searching for the source untill he realised it must have been inside his head. Something that'd started back before North Crater and had only gotten worse afterwards though he'd seemed to have been doing better again after he'd found out about Tifa he was now reminded of just the sort of state his mind was in and that was the last thing he needed to be thinking about right now.

He shook it off catching the attention of Yuffie as well as vincent who'd both been watching him closely though each for different reasons .

"you ok?" Yuffie asked with almost a hint of sweetness in her voice.

Cloud nodded "yea...Ti...er...nevermind...Yuffie"

she tilted her head curiously trying to figure out what he meant and then realised something "you almost called me Tifa! didn't you!" She almost shouted storming over to him.

He held up his hands in defense "nono...I was just lost in thought...and then you said something to me and it kinda threw me for a loop."

She looked at him and considered whether or not to believe him afterall it wouldn't have been the first time. "hmph...it's ok Cloud I understand you're just used to Tifa being the one checking on you and for once she isn't here."

Cloud just stared back at her blankly he hadn't expected yuffie of all people to pick up on something like that. "well..yea...I guess so." he admitted

"just don't do it again or I'll kick you're spikey headed butt!" She added and started to walk off in search of whatever it was they were looking for.

Secretly from above they were being watched. one of Sephiroths minions was crouched on the piping up above looking down at the group "fools...they haven't any idea what they're looking for...and yet they still managed to come to the right place..." He muttered this one in particular looked almost exactly like sephiroth except that his eyes were golden and he had a tatoo of the number ''20'' on his left cheek. ''the great sephiroth need not be bothered by these...insignificant twigs...I'll end their lives right now." he thought and just as soon as he'd thought it he was sailing through the air coming down at Yuffie.

Vincent was the only one who noticed the ruffling sound of clothing in the wind and looked up the only logical place it could have come from. "Yuffie! move!" He yelled she was startled and had no idea why she needed to move but when she saw where he was looking she realised a little too late why fortuneately Cloud had also looked after Vincent had said something and pulled her back towards him out of the way of the man who landed swiftly in a low crouch as his blade had cut through the air he held it out to his side as he rose letting silver hair cover his face so they could not tell he was not Sephiroth.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud felt his blood boil his mind clear and everything become focused on one thing...killing the man in front of him.

"What have you done with Tifa!" He yelled bringing his sword down on the spot where the man stood.

The clone stepped aside letting Clouds sword dig into the earth and simply grinned.

"Cloud wait! look! the sword that isn't masamune!" Vincent observed.He was correct the blade was not masamune but a simple nodachi very much resembling the masamune however it's design had a rigid blade much unlike Sephiroths smooth and clean cutting masamune.

"Correct...and I am not Sephiroth...but one of many clones...I am refered to simply as number twenty."he announced and raised his head so all could see his face.

"You didn't answer my question!" Cloud yelled gain and lifted his sword swinging horizontally at him forcing twenty to jump to avoid it.

"what is it to you? was she important? was she special?" twenty kept grinning his evil grin as he played with Cloud's mind

"was...was! what did you do!" Cloud ran forward again blindly charging and no one else dared get in his way in his current state cloud was likely to cut them down anyway.

twenty tired of evasion jumped down and met clouds blade with his own and the duel had begun.

The others grouped together and watched "don't you think we should help him?" Yuffie asked

"No..as he is...we'd only be in his way...and if we were in his way we'd just get killed. He's not sane right now all he cares about is killing the man in front of him." Vincent explained.

"so you tellin me we gotta jus sit here and watch?" Barret cut in.

"If you don't want to risk having Cloud cut you down himself and whatever phsycological trauma that'll cause him." Vincent answered

"aw this is bullshit..."Cid complained wanting in on the action as bad as barret. Right then a familiar power emaneted from Cloud. the ground around him sunk in a little and a purple aura briefly surrounded him.

"It's over..." Vincent said turning away. They all knew what it meant and seconds later Cloud went totally beserk unleashing a flurry no one could possibly hope to keep up with. When it was all over twenty lay a bloody mess...yet somehow he was still breathing.

"Now tell me...I know you're not dead yet I didn't hit any vital organs but you WILL bleed to death in oh I'd give it...one maybe two minutes if even that long. So tell me right now where Tifa is." Cloud demanded placing his foot on the mans chest.

"Ugh...y...your power...so ...your using Jenovas strength afertall..."

"What're you talking about? My power is my own and that of mako nothing else!" Cloud said

"haha...if you believe that you're a fool...you Cloud are a Jenovan...like me,like Sephiroth..like all the others...you are our brother and yet you fight against us...how sad...mother must be truly hurt..." he stopped as he broke into a caughing fit

"all I'll tell you is this...follow mother...I'm sure you can feel her in the back of your mind...so follow the feeling...find jenova...find...the...truth" His eyes closed and Cloud turned away it was apparent the man was dead.

Cloud exited the reactor and found the others waiting for him. "So where to now?" Yuffie asked without looking at him.

"I...I'm not sure...but..there are a couple of places I want to visit before we go any further..." Cloud said he seemed different what he'd just heard troubled him but he was trying hard not to think too much on it right now...hopefully his next stop would put his mind at ease...

"Where is it you want to go?" Vincent asked suddenly curious.

"The ancient city...and then..back to midgar."

End chapter 5

whoo sorry I took so long...I should start writing entire stories before posting them huh? but hey the balls rolling again and now Cloud and the others are headed to the City of the ancients what could possibly be there waiting for them?


	6. Conflicted

Chapter 6- Conflicted

Sephiroth stood in the center of the very same platform Aeris had been on when she paryed for holy He paused for a moment to think about the silly ancient who'd dared try to stop him alone. and then recalled that her body lay somewhere in the lake here and along with it Holy...that same materia that had wiped away meteor...though it had taken all of it's power to do so and that was likely the only reason he and jenova were allowed to continue to exist. either that or the fact they hadn't really existed at all when holy swept over the planet...one of the two perhaps both but his mind came back to the present when Tifa emerged from the water.

"I found it" she said simply and climbed back up dripping wet and taking a moment to get some of the water out of her hair.In her hand was that materia he'd been thinking of only moments ago. Holy.

"good...now this time there will be nothing in our way." Sephiroth said. Tifa looked a little faint

He arched a brow "are you alright?" he asked showing an unusual amount of concern for her.

"Fine...hey..since when do you care?" She replied

"I'm simply making sure you haven't contracted any sickeness...I don't want it spreading among the others." He replied quickly

"On second thought..."she moved over and pretty much collapsed managing to drape herself over his back with her last bit of strength.

He sighed "Foolish woman..using all your strength up like that.if you keep exhausting yourself straining your body just because you got some new powers you're going to get sick and likely die." He said lifting her and starting off

"Shut up...and just take me back...I need the rest..." She muttered. Right about then Jenova appeared.

"Cloud and the others are coming..." she paused and observed Tifa draped over Sephiroth. "what happened?"

"damned woman tired herself out...completly exhausted." He replied as he started up the stairs toward his mother.

"quickly..I don't want them to know we were here or that _I_ am alive...you two go ahead I'll leave a little something here...just in case."Jenova told him. He gave a nod and continued ahead while Jenova began casting some spell.

"This will make sure that little ancient girl doesn't tell them anything either...I KNOW YOU"RE HERE." She screeched but she seemed to be yelling at nothing...untill Aeris appeared in a quite transparent form.

"Why are you here?...you come to defile my grave too?" Aeris' voice was full of anger "and what have you done to Tifa! why is she with..._him_" she asked

"We've done nothing to her...except make her stronger her choices are her own her mind is her own...anything more than that is none of your business child." Jenova replied

"You know I'll tell Cloud..." Aeris began

"AH yes...Cloud...my useful little toy you won't get the chance to tell him anything." Jenova said with a wicked grin.

"What are you--ACCAUGH" a sickly twisted noise came from Aeris as Jenova thrus a now glowing black hand into where her chest would be if it had been physical. the blackness spread out through Aeris and then the whole room.

"Now you will be my puppet too" Jenova sneered and wrenched her hand from Aeris' ghastly body it had formed into a physical shape but Aeris' was no longer herself her soul was now corrupted by Jenova's evil her eyes had a light ring of purple in the pupil now. and everything about her seemed to darken. even her dress turned black.

"When Cloud comes...Destroy him." Jenova ordered and turned to leave. Aeris gave a nod "Yes...Mother."

Jenova couldn't help but smile as she left after all...Aeris had just called _her_ mother.

Cloud entered the room shortly after Jenova's exit running hard and calling to the others about having seen something odd

"Come on! I know i saw something...it was like a flash except...dark-." he said coming to stop as he laid eyes on Aeris

"ness..." He finished his sentance as the others ran up behind him

"Oh my god...it's...Aeris?" Yuffie spoke up the others seemed to be at a loss for words untill Vincent came in

"She's...different something's wrong here Cloud you should be careful around her. I feel..._something_." Vincent said as he continued trying to decipher the meaning of the feeling he was getting.

"hello again Cloud" Aeris voice was soft and sweet as it always had been. in fact were it not for her appearance one would've thought her an angel sent back from heaven. Cloud couldn't help but envelop her in a hug that was more than a little tight.

"A...a..aeris...how-" cloud started but was cut off

"How am I alive? I've been reborn..." She gestured towards her clothes "Not exactly as I once was...but alive none the less."

Vincent kept staring at her it was like his body was reacting to _her_. but that had only happened before when he was around...

His eyes widened "That...is not Aeris at least not _our_ Aeris it is one of Jenova's creations!"

Everyone looked at him like he was insane. Especially cloud who finally released her from his hug to turn to vincent

"What are you talking about!" Yuffie asked

At this point Aeris began to laugh a wicked laugh. "hahahaha...so you've figured it out eh vampire? Or shall I call you demon? which are you anyway? no matter...vampires are essientially just another form of demonic being anyway. Yes he speaks the truth in a way..."

now attention shifted to Aeris "What do you mean?" Cloud asked utterly confused

"Jenova granted me my rebirth...she brought me back to life in this physical body but I _am_ the same Aeris you all knew I'm simply different now than I was before as should be expected of someone brought back from the dead." She turned and started to walk looking downward with one arm crossed over her chest and the other resting on the first arm with her palm upturned on her cheek. she walked as if on a stroll, gracefully as she spoke and awaited the inevitable question...

"Jenova! why would _she_ give _you_ life again?" Cloud asked

"Because I can do less damage to her and her plans as a living breathing being of flesh and blood than as a Cetra existing with the planet. She also is showing me what it's like...to be..."she paused and looked cloud directly in the eyes "Like her" as she said that she outstrethced her hand and a large weapon much like her old staff apearred in her hands except it was bladed at either end with long rigid edges.

"A...Aeris...what're you doing?" Cloud questioned vincent however took aim at her.

"No!" Cloud stood between Him and Aeris "I won't let her die again!"

"Cloud..get out of the way." Vincent said simply and everyone heard the click of his gun meaning he meant business.

"Hey hey! wait a second you guys can't be serious! c'mon we're all supposed to be freinds here right?" Yuffie cut in.

But vincent's cold stare remained unflinching as was his aim he was willing to shoot through anyone he had to.

"Aw what the hell! c'mon man lettit go" Barret said getting into it now

all the while Aeris watched them curiously she realised that no one was paying attention to her she brought up her weapon spun it 90 degrees and jabbed straight through Cloud's back.

He coughed up blood and coughed out "why?"

"Oh my god! Cloud! NO!" yuffie was quick to catch him as he fell Aeris pulled her weapon out of him as he fell and Vincent took the first oppertunity to fire a shot. But Aeris new body was much too agile by the time he'd fired she had pulled her weapon out and launched into an elegant blackflip landing on the top of the stairs.

"See you guys later" She said with a cruel sweetness and vanished as vincent and now barret fired at her.

Yuffie was still holding cloud in shock endlessly repeating "oh my god no" as if the words alone would save him. For once no one knew what to do Cid was standing there in about as much shock as Yuffie and Barret was too busy freaking out to think straight it all fell to Vincent.

"Everone..calm down..."his quiet voice failed miserably at getting their attention forcing him to do something he hadn't done in since that day so long ago... he yelled. "EVERYONE CALM DOWN"

His normally whisperlike voice boomed out and got everyones attention though for the wrong reason.

"D...did whisper boy just YELL at us?" Cid wondered aloud.

"Yes I did..now is someone going to use a healing materia on Cloud or are we going to stand here and watch him die?"

"Oh umm umm..oh my gosh...did anyone even BRING materia!" yuffie cried out.

"n..no..no one was expecting thered be a fight out here..." she added

"Fine..then we take him back to the highwind." Vincent replied tearing a chunk of his cloak and tying it around clouds midsection to stop the bleeding. afterwhich he hoisted Cloud unto his shoulder and started off.

_Elsewhere_

Aeris appearedbeside her new 'mother' and knelt beside her on the roof of the old shinra HQ.

"I struck him down as you asked.Mother"

"tell me...why do you insist on calling me that...even though you know I am not your mother?"Jenova asked turning half towards her.

"A mother is simply one who gives birth to life in another and you have given me new life. So you are in essence my mother at least in this life and the life of this body." Aeris replied looking up at her.

"I see...so if you are so aware of what is going on then why do you serve me?" Jenova's face betrayed much curiosity.

"You know very well why...because you changed me and now instead of mercy and kindness. Pain and wickedness are my way. I am but a twisted doll a new puppet for your enjoyment..." she paused and decided to change the subject. "where is Sephiroth? I haven't seen him yet."

"He's with _her_ right now" Jenova answered

"Her?...who?" Aeris looked confused for a moment and then figured it out "you mean Tifa don't you?"

"yes." was the simple reply

"what happened to her anyway? what did you do to make her stay here willingly?" Aeris' curiosity was beginning to annoy Jenova now.

"Why don't you go ask her? I didn't do anything to her I didn't need to." Jenova replied and with that she got up and left. Leaving a puzzled Aeris to wonder.

_Meanwhile..._

Tifa stood watching Sephiroth as he stared out at nothing wondering what was on his mind. Currently she was sitting on his the desk in the office he'd claimed as his own with her legs crossed while he stood at the window staring...and staring...and staring...it was enough to drive her crazy in the endless silence the man never seemed to talk unless he had a reason for it the concept of small talk seemed to be lost on him.

"Sephiroth...whats going on in that head of yours?" She asked finally proping her head on one of her hands titled slightly in a curious expression.

He turned only halfway towards her with a glance as if he'd forgotten she was there and turned back to the window. "It's ironic you should ask..I'm wondering that very same thing about Jenova."

"huh?" her voice betrayed her obvious confusion.

"She's ressurected the ancient girl...though I do not understand why." He explained

"Ancient girl..?...you mean Aeris?" Tifa looked up at him expecting him to turn around again and as she expected he did.

"yes..._her_. I'm not comfortable having a person I killed walking among my people and knowing where I sleep." He said simply.

"Ah...I see you're worried she'll try to take revenge but the Aeris I knew wasn't that kind of person." Tifa told him idly

"That's just it...she _isn't_ the Aeris you knew she's far different now Jenova would have made her into something...dark." He told her and turned back to the window.

"hm...so you're saying what we have is an evil Aeris?" Tifa asked

"Precisely.whatever she was before she's the opposite now." He replied.

"Hm..kinda like me then..." Tifa said with a chuckle.

"Yes...that reminds me what _did_ Jenova do to you anyway?" He asked turning to her once more.

she smirked "Nothing...I just...changed something inside me...just...how should i say?...woke up.It was like suddenly realising all at once I hated most of the things I put up with in my life. Especially people." She replied and stood walking over to him.

"And what about you? you've changed too. you aren't the same as before...you seem...more like the Sephiroth I met back then than the would be destroyer we chased all around the world."

"Hm..I suppose you're right but that's got more to do with Jenova than anything.I'm simply not so directly influenced by her now as I was then. Knowing now what I didn't know then...that my birth mother was human that I might not be the monster I thought I was." he gazed at her wondering what was it she was getting at.

"Sephiroth...tell me something. When you look at me what do you feel?" the question caught him off guard and for a moment he looked bewildered

"Just what exactly do you mean?" He inquired.

"I mean exactly what I said. I want to know what your feelings are toward me." She stared up at him though he was only a little taller than her.

He pondered for a moment "I suppose...I might be able trust you you've helped far more than I would've expected and I'm beginning to believe your change of heart might be genuine. But don't read too much into that."

"Thank you...but that's not what I asked you and you know it." She replied staring him down

"hm...so you want to know my personal feelings? well I don't have any haven't you heard? I'm heartless." He told her and tried to turn away but she grabbed his arm and spun him back around.

"Liar...why are you avoiding the question? Is the great sephiroth afraid? afraid to admit his feelings?" she taunted

"and what feelings might those be?" He questioned

"I'm talking about you caring about others. Earlier you showed concern when I came out of the water. you cared." She said pointing at him as if she were accusing him of a crime.

he closed his eyes and the only sound that came from him for awhile was "hm"

The he slid his arm around her back and pulled her toward him. causing her to gasp momentarily in surprise.

"I think you are the one who's developed the feelings around here." He said with a smirk.He held her firmly making sure she couldn't escape his little trap.

"wh...what do you mean?" she asked looking away from him.

"with his free hand he forced her to look at him. "You're trying to get me to admit to me feelings when you can't even say what you feel? how amusing...You're still that little girl with a crush aren't you?" He said absently

her eyes widened a bit. "y..you knew about that?" her face turned bright red.

"Of course and now I have sufficient response from you to know I was right." he said and released her.to his surprise she clung to him now

"So you really don't feel anything then? After all the talks all the training..we spent alot of time together you know." She said still avoiding his eyes.

"...Woman I know you're just biding your time waiting for Strife to come so don't bother with your games...I may have a limited amount of trust in you now but that trusts is only as long as I keep you in my sight."

Aeris entered the room quietly observing the scene only going unnoticed because Sephiroth was preoccupied with Tifa.

Tifa pulled back from him "w...what?...you still think I'm waiting for Cloud! if I wanted to go back to him I'd have left you at the ancient city when Jenova mentioned they were coming. I still had the strength to at least get to them you know."

"It's a good thing you didn't." Aeris interrupted causing the two to look at her both in shock "Cloud is probably dead by now."

"A...Aeris!" Tifa exclaimed running over to her old freind she was about to hug her but Aeris outstretched hand stopped her.

"Tifa...please spare me the hugs and surprise...you both know Jenova brought me back you just haven't seen me untill now."

Tifa stared at her wondering who this girl claiming to be Aeris was. Then it clicked "wait...Cloud's dead!"

"I stabbed him...so he's probably dead...to be honest I don't really know if his freinds saved him in time. But..."her weapon appeared in her hands again and she examined the uncleaned blade still covered in Clouds blood.

"I ran him through pretty good." she finished.

Tifa stepped back from her in horror this girl couldn't be Aeris...then Sephiroths words came to her _'whatever she was before she's the opposite now." _and suddenly it all made sense.

Aeris turned her attention to Sephiroth. "and you...the man who killed me...I suppose I should thank you for allowing me to have this sort of oppertunity to experience what it's like to be...evil." she smirked and strode over to him as he did his best to remain the Icy man she had known him as but he felt growing discomfort as she walked toward him with that weapon especially with masamune not in his hands. He had no idea what kind of powers she had devolped as a result of her new body or what new ways she would abuse her powers with her change to evil.

"What's wrong? are you not happy? I killed him for you." Aeris said standing now only inches from Sephiroth.

"no..you killed him for Jenova not for me and besides...no one was supposed to kill him other than me. So you've done me no favors." He told her.

"hmph...well regardless.." Aeris proped herself on the desk as tifa had earlier. "Mother says I'm bound to you now because I killed Cloud."

"what!" Tifa and Sephiroth said that at the same time. Causing each to give the other a funny look.While Aeris looked from one to the other trying to figure out what the problem was.

"are you saying that Jevnoa has said that I am to be yours?" Sephiroth asked

"Yep." was all there was. Tifa stood there slack jawed as Aeris stood and quickly pulled Sephiroth into a kiss. which lasted barely 3 seconds before he broke it.

"Have you lost your mind? You _want_ to be with me? the man who killed you?" Sephiroth questioned. He didn't trust her for one second.

Aeris shrugged "As I said I don't hold that against you...you had no choice I was simply in your way besides if you hadn't Jenova would have anyway." she stood there staring into his eyes one hand playing with his hair.

He grabbed her hand "Don't...do that." He turned and stormed out of the room in search of Jenova.

"What's his problem?" Aeris wondered aloud

"He doesn't like it when you play with his hair..." Tifa informed her.

"huh?" Aeris puzzled look only lasted breifly before she realized "Ooooh I see...you've got the hots for Seph."

"..." Tifa was silent and started to leave. but Aeris followed her.

"so how long? when did you realise? does he feel the same?" the questions all went unanswered as Tifa quietly raged Aeris was doing it again...trying to take away the man she'd chosen. why? were they that similar? was it Cloud and Sephiroth who were similar? or was it Tifa and Aeris who just happened to think on the same wavelength? Or maybe it was Jenova playing some twisted game with all of them.

She didn't know how long she was ignoring Aeris before she turned to her and spouted everything that was going through her head.

"Why Areis why! you took Cloud now you're going to take Sephiroth too! Cloud drifted so far away from me even after you died he chose to never even CONSIDER another woman. I won't let it happen again if you want sephiroth you'll have to fight me for him." she said breathing heavily.

Aeris looked taken back. ''my my...Tifa...I had no idea you felt like that. But that isn't your choice it's theirs" she said with a scowl. "but if your desperate enough maybe I'll let you play with us sometime...or hey we're good freinds right? maybe we can have a little fun" She teased moving closer but Tifa shoved her against the wall paused for a moment as if contemplating hurting her seriously and then took off leaving Aeris laughing like a madwoman.

"Why is being evil SO much FUN?" She asked herself still laughing. As she watched Tifa leave.For Aeris being evil was like a drug she'd never done such things before she'd never wished harm on anyone never even been angry at anyone and if she had been it never lasted.Untill now she'd never even kissed anyone now she was full of thoughts and ideas that she'd never even considered before. It was a sudden release with no inhibitions no morals she was free to do whatever she _wanted_ and at a whim. She didn't have to worry about being polite or other peoples feelings. It was all about her now how to make herself happy. Tifa was actually experiencing much the same thing just not on as grand a scale as Aeris was now. Of course her 'awakening' as it was constantly referred as was still a major factor but what exactly that was remained unknown even to Sephiroth only Jenova and Tifa knew what had really happened.

Sephiroth found Jenova fairly quickly "JENOVA WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" he yelled. his temper hadn't calmed any...in fact it'd gotten worse as he'd walked and thought more and more about it.

"hm?..is there a problem Sephiroth?" She said calmly knowing full well why he was there.

"Why is Aeris walking around claiming you _gave_ me to her like some puppy dog!" He yelled

"Oh that...well I thought you'd be overjoyed with Cloud dead why not take her? Is she not pretty enough for you?" Jenova stood with her back to him

"you know damned well I killed that girl! why the hell would you have me lay with her! Do you truly believe for an instant she can be trusted?"

"now now calm yourself I had no idea you were so hung up on the past...but if it's any consolation she isn't exactly the same girl from before. While it's true the soul of that body is that girl the mind and body are totally different and she enjoys every bit of it.In fact she wants to thank you for freeing her from her prison of false smiles and forced politeness. that's why she wishes to be with _you_ the man who set her free." Jenova explained

"Oh really? or did you simply order her to do so?" He questioned

"why would I order such a thing? after all you have women throwing themselves at you..yet you refuse them all because you can't bring yourself to trust them.'' She said with a sigh.

"Right...but then when my mother is the most notorious example of a female not to be trusted I have good reason to have reservations about women...especially an ancient." He said and turned to leave. Jenova shook her head silently

"You'll never learn boy..."

_Back on the highwind_

Everyone stood outside as they awaited the verdict from the few docotors the highwind actually kept on staff. Clouds wounds had become too severe to be healed by materia.Currently they were headed for Rocket town there'd be better medical facilities there. but it looked pretty grim then suddenly halfway there Cloud flatlined...

The doctors came out and were forced to share the bad news... yuffie broke into tears Cid and Barret cursed simultaneously and hit opposite walls both blaming whatever messed up god would allow the only hope for the world to die like this. Vincent and Nanaki were the only ones who were totally silent.

Sephiroth,Jenova,Aeris, and Tifa all felt it when he died but for each of them it meant something different. For Sephiroth it was a slap in the face here he couldn't kill Cloud but some little flower girl that HE killed comes back from the dead and takes Cloud out in one shot. For Aeris is was a release...another part of her old life that she'd never have to deal with again it was also mission acomplished. For Jenova it was relief. The main threat to them had been eliminated, and for Tifa...it was pain...Cloud still meant alot to her and she didn't know how she knew but she knew...she just knew he was gone forever..

Blackness...thats the only word to describe it wasn't just dark it was litterally black...somewhere in this sea of black Cloud was floating,...drifting, lost..then a voice spoke to him

_''it's over now...''_

what?"

"_it's all over...you're dead."_

"what're you talking about?"

"_you damned fool you let that...female kill you.Now you'll fade into darkness..."_

"who are you?"

"_you already know...and I won't allow you to die yet that girl must die first..."_

"girl?...do you mean...Aeris?"

_"yes..now you're getting it...she killed you it's only fitting to return the favor no one can be trusted they all fear your power is the greatest of them all."_

"who are 'they'?"

"_imbecile...you know all of this...we don't have time...use your power...heal yourself"_

"I...I can do that?"

_"and much more...all you have to do is be willing..."_

"willing to do what?"

_"willing...to use her power"_

"how do I do it?"

"_just focus...focus on healing regenrating your wounds."_

It was the dead of night...Yuffie lay across Cloud's chest still weeping over his death. When suddenly he came back to life.

His eyes opened slowly..

_"good..good..."_

"...Yuffie?..."His voice came out stronger than expected but at the moment that was the only thing about him that was strong. having officially been dead for at least an hour the only reason he hadn't been moved to some morgue was because Yuffie refused to let them she was so sure he'd come back somehow...he'd done it before right? and well turns out she was right..because here he was waking up...cheating death for the umpteenth time.

She didn't move she swore she was hearing things.

"Yuffie...why are you crying?" He tried again.

"Cut it out guys...that isn't funny...you know how I fel..." She looked up to see who was in the room and her eyes fell on Cloud "Oh my...GAWD" she nearly screamed.

"what?" Cloud asked puzzled.

"Y..you! you're alive...wait..you're not a ghost are you?" she asked

"uh...I feel pretty solid so...no?" he replied

"Zombie?" She asked

"eh...I don't feel the need to munch your brains so I guess that's out too." He told her.

"then...then you're really alive!" She asked with tears again forming in her eyes.

"Yea.." he nodded

"oh cloud!" She clung to him tightly.

The commotion brought others into the room. all of whom were equally surprised to find Cloud sitting up and alive.

"Uh...hi guys" He said still lost as to why they were looking at him like that.

"Cloud...he...he's alive!" Yuffie said stating the obvious her face buried into Clouds chest.

"Holy SHIT he's back from the fuckin dead!" was all Cid could say he just stared

"Back from...the dead? what're you talking about?" Cloud wondered

"You've been dead for nearly an hour." Vincent informed him.

"How is it you've come back to life?" Nanaki asked

"I...was dead?" He raised his hand to his forehead remembering the crazy dream...if it was a dream

"I...think I...regerated." he told him the room was silent only a few recognized the significance of the statement.Vincent turned and left the room.

"Hey where you goin?" Barret asked him grabbing his shoulder.

Vincent looked at him for a moment then said simply "Let him rest" and left.

"Vincent has a point...Cloud just came back from the dead...he's probably feeling very weak we can ask him all these things later." Nanaki said and followed vincent out of the room.

"aw what the hell? whatever man...We'll see ya later Cloud." Barret exited followed by Cid who simply gave cloud a thumbs up.

Yuffie however remained for a moment before releasing him.

"Yuffie...you were saying something earlier..." Cloud started and yuffie froze everything about her tightened up "uh...I was?" she asked nervously.

"Yea...you were saying something about how you felt..what was that about?" He asked searching her eyes for the answer.

"er..I uh...it was nothing...just me rambling! really!" She said quickly and made her way to the door. "anyways..gotta go..get some rest." She dissapeared through the door for a moment and then reappeared poking her head in "Oh and Cloud?"

"Yea?"

"Don't you EVER die in front of me again!" She said and left.

He stared at spot she had stood in puzzled for a moment then chuckled "That's yuffie for you..." he muttered and laid back he had alot to think about now.

End chapter 6

Hope this chap's long enough for ya'll and lots of progression here I hope It's not too rapid. but I wanted things to start shifting with something big and well...I couldn't do much bigger than Aeris coming back to life as a EVIL being unlike the vast majority of fics that bring her back...also keep an eye out for her do to alot of important things she'll likely be a key factor in alot of what happens from here on out.


	7. Cycles

Chapter7-Cycles

_"light to darkness...darkness to light...hero to villain...villain to hero...all things change in cycles and now that cycle is coming around once again and the true purpose of your existence shall be revealed..."_

Cloud awoke wondering what the voice had meant...he still didn't know who it was..._what_ it was. But he surely wasn't going to tell the others about it. So instead he tried focusing on other things to keep it from coming into his head. Still there were always those moments he idled and it weasled in. now was one such time. So hurridly he thought of something...and wound up on a rather unpleasant thought one he'd been avoiding thinking about. Aeris.

"she really wanted to kill me..." he thought staring up at the ceiling. ''why?...what did I do wrong?"

_"you let her die" _the voice returned but it was different somehow this time...instead of putting ideas IN his head it was pushing OUT his fears his regrets...as if all the little skeletons in his closet came out to face him.

"no..that isn't true..."

"_Oh but it is...you could have saved her you could have treated the wound she wasn't dead when you got to her. She died at least a minute later maybe longer you could've at least healed her with a materia for a quick fix untill she could get better treatment...but no you just watched her die."_

"no...no it's not true! IT ISN'T TRUE!"

_"maybe it isn't...but what if it is? either way it doesn't matter now does it? you'd never know the truth no matter how long you wonder at it...and now she's sided against you with the very man who killed her...or then again maybe in her eyes it was YOU who killed her.but again...you'll never know."_

"who are you? WHAT are you!"

"_I am you...the REAL you...no that's inaccurate I'm Cloud."_

"what're you talking about _I_ am Cloud!"

"_no...you're just a copy. I'm the real Cloud.YOu know...the one who's memories you stole. You stole my freinds too...and now look what you've done you've lost Tifa...the only woman I ever loved."_

"shut up! you can't be Cloud...that Cloud died I'm the real cloud now! I'm the ONLY CLOUD! I didn't steal anything!"

"_pft...believe that if you want...but the fact remains. I am here" _

"What do you want?"

_"isn't it obvious? you stole everything from me...so now I'm taking it back...I'm going to take my life back...my body...just as soon as YOU fall apart...now hurry up and die! Stop clinging to the memories that aren't even yours! you don't even know how to use this body properly!"_

"..."

Outside the door Vincent and Nanaki heard the whole thing...well Half of it anyway to them Cloud was just yelling at himself. Which was a very...very bad sign.

they looked at eachother neither saying a word and vincent nodded as they both turned to leave apparently a silent conversation had been held between the two. The purpose of which would remain known only to them.

As they walked Yuffie came bouncing down the hall a regular beam of sunshine with her, by comparison to the others, bright clothes. "hey guys!" She said cheerfully as she passed them.

Vincent turned around "Yuffie...you might not want to go see Cloud right now...he's...still sleeping" normally the momentary pause would have meant something was off but coming from Vincent Yuffie thought nothing of it.

"Oh..well...I'll just wait for him to wake up then. Not like I have anything else to do around here..."She replied

"hm...I can't help but notice you're over your motion sickness." Nanaki commented.

"Huh? oh yea...Guess I'm just too busy keeping myself occupied to no-" she cut herself off covering her mouth and running for the nearest railing.

"Nicely done Nanaki" Vincent said

"Oh that? that was simple enough. Now had it been Tifa..THAT would have been difficult." Nanaki replied

"...Tifa...I wonder how she would react if she knew Yuffie was moving in on Cloud?" Vincent wondered idly without realising he'd said it aloud.

"hm?..now that would be a messy situation." Nanaki concluded and wandered off.

Vincent stood there a moment considering what had just been said before going back to check on Cloud. only find that Cloud had gone. he raised an eyebrow as if to ask "where did he go?"

Cloud wandered to what might as well have been the observation deck. Of course Cid wasn't much of one for 'fancy' names for places like that. He found Yuffie already there staring out at the landscape as if in a trance it was rare to see her like that...not hurling the contents of her stomach to the terrain down below that is.

He took a place beside her leaning on the railing with one arm folded over the other, she showed no sign of noticing his presence untill he spoke "Hey yuf.."

Her head turned to him and tilted a little as if she were wondering whether he was really there. "Cloud..what're you doing out of bed?" her voice hinted at something off but Cloud naturally didn't catch it

"Eh...I feel fine besides...I needed some fresh air. What're you doing out here?" he asked she looked away for a moment and answered "nothing...just thinking." it was then he realised something was bothering her.

"Yuffie...what is it?" He tried with a bit more concern in his voice.

"It's nothing...it's stupid...just..forget about it." She told him looking at him only breifly but it was enough for him to notice she'd been crying. Sometime ago her face had dried up streaks that glistened lightly in the light at certain angles but besides that it'd have been hard to tell she'd been crying at all.

"Yuffie...come on..we're riding along on the highwind and for the first time ever you're not spewing everything all over the countryside, hell you don't even look sick. So I figure something big is definately on your mind." he said with a light chuckle and a nudge

She gave a bit of a laugh and then looked at him "that's just it...I'm just the sideshow around here...I mess things up and get everyones attention and then we all laugh about it later. I'm just the joke of the group..I..I have no business dreaming about..."she trailled off.."nevermind...I shouldn't have said anything and started to run off but Cloud grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Yuffie...what are you talking about? you're just as important as everyone else..granted you've caused a little trouble along the way...but you had your reasons and you proved to be a powerful ally don't ever sell yourself so short."

"uh..." Yuffie was speechless standing there staring at him without a clue what to say. When she finally regained her ability to speak she looked down and spoke "I..I'm sorry...it's just..."she paused wondering if she should continue or just shut up but Clouds intent gaze somehow made her keep going. "I...well...I overheard Vincent and Red awhile ago...talking and I...I just felt stupid."

"Why?...what did they say?" Cloud's voice held genuine concern if there was a problem amongst his freinds he wanted to know about it.

Yuffie took in a deep breath "Alright it's like this...last night when I was talking and you wanted to know what I was about to say? well I...sort of...have...this crush on you...and everyone knew it except you that's why I got mad at first...but then this morning I Vin and Red tried to keep me from going to see you I dunno why...maybe they think I'm being stupid and I probably am..because I know can't have you you're in love with tifa...and I was reminded of that when I heard them after I left...and she loves you too so you see? I'm just a stupid fool...letting some silly crush make me into a mess." she sighed a bit afterwards feeling like a weight had been lifted from her still she couldn't believe she had blurted that all out so rapidly. It was like once she got started she couldn't stop. But now she was worried. Cloud had that look on his face the one that said "I'm thinking of what to say without hurting anyones feelings."

_"what're you waiting for? Take her!"_ there was that little voice again and the mental argument was on.

"No I can't...anyone who gets too close to me will get hurt...like Aeris."

_"If I were in control right now...I'd make her a queen. You're a fool if you reject her and for what? for Tifa? she's been with Sephiroth far too long she won't be the same when you finally speak to her again. I garuntee you that much.She'll be just like Aeris.Besides Yuffie is the first to actually TELL you she had feelings for you."_

Cloud was stumped it had a point.

"Uh...Cloud?" Yuffie's voice cut into his thoughts and he focused on her

"Yuffie...I've waited for someone to tell me they cared about me for a long time...I never thought you'd be the one to say it first. Actually I never imagined I'd hear it from you at all..."

"Cloud?" she said his name with uncertainty she had no idea what to do but her uncertainty faded when Cloud kissed her fully wraping his arms around her lithe frame.and like any girl kissed for the first time by her secret crush she simply melted into his arms despite whatever reservations she had about it right then none of it mattered Cloud was kissing HER not Tifa, not some recreated Aeris but her he'd chosen her and she fully welcomed it clinging to him and kissing back it tok awhile before they parted each was afraid of what the other would say or do when logic started to work again.

As they stood staring at one another they couldn't say anything finally Yuffie stepped toward him and placed her head on his chest.

"Cloud...does this mean...?" she trailed off unsure of herself.

"Yes...it does." he told her lifting her chin so her eyes and his met

"So...where do we go from here?" she asked

"uh...how about first we go somewhere a little more private...where I can be sure no prying eyes...or ears for that matter are listening." He said and she nodded knowing exactly who he meant. and led him off to her room in the highwind.

_Shinra's old HQ_

Aeris wandered around the building looking for Sephiroth when she thought she found him she was a little startled to find it was in fact Yazoo. He stared at her rather blankly as Loz and Kadaj watched from a short distance

"Oh sorry...I thought you were..." She began.

"Sephiroth?" He finished

"uh..yea...um..who are you again?" She questioned looking from him to Kadaj and Loz and back to him again

"We are the children...mothers special children...Each of us represent a part of Sephiroth originally we were created so a new sephiroth could be born...but it was later discovered we were not nessisary for that function, because _he_ was still alive. Yet still we exist pieces of a memory, mother's legacy."

"Yazoo...you talk too much." Kadaj interrupted.

"All you need to know is if anything endagers mother or her plans we will defend her." he continued

"I see...and if anything was to happen to Sephiroth...you all could make him again...interesting...might I ask what parts of him you represent?" Aeris questioned most curious.

"hmph...fine...I Kadaj am Sephiroths hatred.All of his fury his anger at the planet, the people, everything.I also have his cold attitude and intelligence basically I'm the closest to the real thing these others represeant the ...'weaker' less prominent parts of sephiroth that have never been seen before." he informed her

"I Yazoo am Sephiroths love,Sadness,and his desire to belong to care and be cared for. the universal want to fit in."

"And Loz...is the baby of the group...he is Sephiroths inner child I suppose you could say...poor thing not much for brains and he has issues with his temper tantrums. he also is Sephiroths Innocence...whatever's left of it that is. Perhaps that is why he seems so incomplete." Yazoo told her.

"mm...very interesting...verry interesting indeed. I didn't know Sephiroth even HAD all those qualities." Aeris said mostly to herself.

"As I told you before they are his lesser parts I am the greater part of the whole." Kadaj's voice was filled with annoyance.

"is that so? then why is it the Sephiroth I've seen so far seems to show quite a few of Yazoo's qualities as well?" Everyone turned to the new voice it was Tifa who apparently had wandered down there at some point.

"Ah...Tifa. I was wondering where you were I was beginning to think you and Sephiroth had run off." Aeris said with a laugh drawing a frown from Tifa. Kadaj seemed to brighten at her arrival as she walked right in the middle of the group.

"So none of you have seen him either then?" Tifa asked

"I would ask mother." Yazoo told her. Causing Kadaj to give him a look that no one other than Yazoo knew what it meant.

"Tifa...I could take you to mother." Kadaj offered.

"no thanks." She said dismissing him with a wave "I can find her easily enough." and with that she walked off. Leaving a dissapointed Kadaj behind.

"Hm...I just thought of Something" Aeris piped up after Tifa had gone. "If what you just told me is true then Sephiroth is more or less...your father yet Jenova is still your mother...ewww..." She shook her head clear of the thoughts that followed.

"Jenova is our mother in the same sense that this planet is the mother of humans." Kadaj explained with a frown he was always frowning a trait that was beginning to irritate the new Aeris.

"hmph...you boys need to learn to smile more! Learn some jokes or something." She said and left

The man in question, The Great Sephiroth, was actually no where near Midgar. he was paying a personal visit to the highwind to see if Cloud was really dead. Sure he had felt it but that didn't mean the spikey headed fool actually stayed dead. He was currently blowing through rooms and walls and everything like a spetcre very few actually caught a glimpse of him and the few that did assumed they were hallucinating. After all the crew of the ship was of no consequense it was the passangers he had to worry about.

Finally he found him...Cloud...alive and kicking standing at the railing.Now having sastisfied his curiosity he considered what to do. It was tempting to simply push him over the edge however to do so would obviously alert anyone around to his presence though it would obviously be worth the trouble his time for desicion passed him by as he could hear foot steps coming down one of the paths meaning it was time for him to dissapear. It turned out to be Yuffie who instantly clung to Clouds arm and he looked over at her with a smirk and then back out at the scenery they seemed to be having a conversation but about what he couldn't hear. Then suddenly he got a surprising bit of information as Yuffie pulled Cloud down a little into a kiss and bounded off in the opposite direction.

"my my...it'll be most interesting to see the response that woman has this little tid bit...oooh her expression alone should be worth this entire trip." Sephiroth thought to himself as he made his way off the highwind just as stealthily as he had come never having only once appeared in any real visiable state he could also be certain no one had seen him.Peace of mind was a wonderful thing.

Yuffie came on to the bridge and announced "Cloud's decided we should head for Midgar. He says he just has a feeling.Kinda like how he just had a feeling to go to the Ancient City."

"Alright, you heard the lady! let's get to midgar!" Cid ordered.

Sephiroth was somewhat alarmed when he noticed the Highwinds change of direction and realised it's only probable destination was Midgar. He cursed mentally and wondered if they'd spotted him but that was unlikely as instead of attacking they were simply going the same direction. either way it didn't matter he simply had to make sure he got back first.

Tifa, after hurridly leaving Aeris and the others behind, found Jenova in one of her usual places, The roof top of the building or rather what was now the rooftop after what had happened. For a moment she wondered what had happened to Rufus Shinra most specifically where his body would have been. While she was dawdling Jenova noticed her presence except at the moment it wasn't Jenova but Lucretia as for some reason Jenova had decided to take a bit of a rest after all even she needed to rest at some point.

"Oh hello Tifa..." She said softly bringing Tifa back to reality

"Oh um...Jen-..."She paused and looked at her carefully. "Lucratia?"

She gave a nod "yes it's me...it's been a little while since I've been allowed to control things in this body but I'm still here."

"it's good to see you again...but I really needed Jenova... I need to know where Sephiroth has gone." Tifa infrormed her

"Oh...well I can tell you too you know. just not as presicely as Jenova would...and it seems he's here now." As Lucratia spoke Sephiroth litterally appeared next to her.

"He's alive." Was all he said despite the questioning looks he was getting and he started off to go who knows where. But Tifa wanted an explaination. "You mean Cloud? He's alive?"

He stopped looked at her with a unintelligable look that almost made her shiver and looked away again.

"So he is alive..." She muttered to herself looking down.

"Oh dear...you've got Jenova all excited now...she's screaming 'how can he possibly still be alive!'" lucratia told them.

"I believe he's using the power he was given." Sephiroth stated "Oh..and I need to speak with you alone...I learned something else on my little exursion that I think you would like to know." he said pointing to Tifa for some reason he seemed determined not to use her name.

"oh? something for me to know?" she titled her head curiously wondering what he could possibly have to tell her.

Sephiroth looked to lucratia "would you mind?"

Lucratia sighed "kids these days...hm..speaking of I should go check on the others." and with that left them alone.

"Oh and one more thing mother..." He called as she reached the door.

"yes?" She asked turning to face him.

"you should know that they are headed here...for Midgar I don't think they realise we're here yet but they will be very...very close so lets be ready to welcome them shall we?" he told her

"I see...I'll start the preparations." Lucretia replied and left them alone.

"You called her mother..." Tifa noted drawing a questioning look from Sephiroth.

"How is that odd?" He asked

"Because you stopped Calling Jenova that." She replied causing a look of confusion and then he realised it was true he hadn't called Jenova mother for some time now...yet Lucretia surfaces and suddenly it's back to saying mother.

"hm" He looked down for a moment. pondering. "Perhaps it is because I know now who my real mother is before then I only knew Jenova was somehow linked to my creation...I didn't even think I was born the traditional way. Knowing otherwise...changes a few things." He explained.

"I see...so what did you want to talk to me about?" Tifa asked suddenly

"Hm? oh right...actually it might be better if I not tell you and let you see for yourself...I doubt you'd believe me anyway." He said looking outwards the highwind was actually in sight now.

"huh? why wouldn't I believe you? I've trusted you this far and you were certainly telling the truth about Aeris." She said Aeris' name with a bit of anger she had proven to be quite agitating already and despite how wrong she knew it was Tifa wished she were still dead...which reminded her she still needed to talk to Jenova about certain...details.

"Alright...Cloud's betrayed whatever sort of relationship you had I witnessed him and that ninja girl together." He said plainly

"What?...no way Cloud and yuffie! that's just insane! you're right...this I have to see for myself."She said and left in a hurry. After all she knew exactly where Cloud would go first.

little more than an hour later Cloud was standing in the church...Aeris' Church. staring at the flowers that somehow just kept on living no matter what happened to them.They were a monument to resiliancy and what sheer stubborness to die could do. He knelt at the edge of them looking back to make sure no one had followed him here not even Yuffie. He had wanted to be alone.

"So you came...you're so predictable Cloud."

He looked around for the voice it was familiar yet different. He knew that he knew the person but at the same time the voice sounded foreign to him.

"A...Aeris?" He questioned

"mmnn...still thinking only of her?" The voice pouted

this caused him a bit of confusion then he tried again. "Tifa?..where are you?"

"Bingo..." the voice echoed.

"and I'm right behind you where I've always been." She said in her own plain voice no longer using her powers to hide her presence. He whirled around to face her.

"Tifa!" He started to go to hug her but stopped short. "Wait...you're not going to try and kill me too are you?" he asked wondering if she'd be quite so honest as Aeris had been.

"hm...no not yet...but if you don't get over here and hug me I'm definately going to have to consider it." She laughed but little did Cloud know she was quite serious if after all this time he didn't show anything she was going to be VERY angry.

He smiled and hugged her tightly "I missed you...we've been looking for you for weeks...wait...where's?" He trailed off and looked around she picked up on what he was looking for.

"He isn't here...I'm all alone right now...well except for you." she told him.

"What's he up to this time? do you know?" Cloud was so focused on other things he hand't even noticed her eye color had changed or thought anything of how she'd appeared out of nowhere.

"yes I know everything...perhaps a bit too much he's trying to create a world for his new family.In truth he'd rather leave this one and go find his own but that isn't possible right now so he's decided that this world will just have to do." She explained.

"family?" Cloud repeated

"Yes...Jenova has been restored, and a new batch of mako enchanced beings has been created. All pumped full of Jenova cells it's an entire Race of Jenova...but it gets worse...besides them there are others out there who were created before...who don't even know they carry her cells but will be awakened when all is ready...honestly I think all they're waiting for is to remove the last great obstacle. You."

"Cloud..there's far too much to explain...but they're here all of them are here in Midgar we have to..."She stopped as she sensed a presence was it Sephiroth? or Jenova? no neither of them...perhaps it was one of the others...like that creepy Kadaj who seemed obsessed with her. She looked around.

"What is it Tifa?" Cloud asked it was then she realised what it was she was sensing...'this feeling...it's..not one of us...I'd be to used to them to sense them so then this one is...human?'she wondered. wait...did she just use the words "us" and "Human"? did she truly no longer consider herself one of them? that second thought answered her question as she again refered to humans as if she wasn't one. Surprisingly that realisation didn't bother her. Afterall according to Sephiroth she was never trully human to begin with it just meant she'd grown to accept that fact...question was what did that mean for her?

She realised Cloud was staring at her. waiting for an answer "Oh um...it's nothing." she replied looking at him.She stared for awhile then suddenly she threw her arms around him and kissed him. he was caught tottaly by surprise and it was just in time for the wandering Yuffie to see them. Exactly as Tifa had planned having figured Yuffie would be the one to come looking for Cloud if what Sephiroth had told her was true.

Yuffie stood there dumbfounded by what she was seeing. 'I knew it...i knew he'd do this to me...as soon as we found her...it's all about tifa..always has been...I was just keeping him occupied. How stupid am I!' She mentally screamed at herself.

Cloud broke the kiss "Tifa...I can't..." he began but the nearly hysteric yuffie wasn't about to stand there and watch this any more "CLOUD! You...You Bastard! How could you!" she yelled tears in her eyes

"Yuffie you've got it all wrong..." He tried but it was no use she slapped him and ran off.

Tifa was surprised to say the least she hadn't quite expected Yuffie to have gotten THAT attached to Cloud already...unless it wasn't something new...she'd have to have had those feelings for him for some time. "What...was that?" Tifa asked pretending she didn't know.

Cloud sighed and braced himself to be hit except this time he was expecting a punch to be thrown not a slap and maybe a little more. It was at that point he decided not to tell her at least not yet. A mistake he couldn't possibly have known the ramifications of.

"Uh...she's been...mad at me lately...I uh...better go talk to her." he said and started off Tifa just gave a nod.

'Bastard...lied right to my face.' she thought as she waited a minute before quietly following.Once more cloaking herself in the shadows.

Cloud had caught up to Yuffie quickly enough but getting her to stop and listen to him was the hard part.

"Go away!" she yelled and actually threw her shurikan at him his eyes widened and he rolled out of the way as the shurikan flew past his head and circled around returning to her hand.

"Yuffie listen to me!" He pleaded

"What's there to hear? how good it felt? how sorry you are it has to be this way!"

"No! I...I didn't kiss her she kissed me you just came in at the wrong moment...Yuffie please you've got to believe me." He begged

"Right! a likely story!" she said sarcasticly.

"Yuffie...I love you"

Everything stopped Yuffies tears her sniffling the birds the wind and possibly Tifa's heart. She could've screamed as her plans to return to Cloud and make him hers went up in flames right in front of her. While it was true she had redevolped her old crush on Sephiroth he had been right about her waiting for Cloud. Her whole plan was simply to do what they wanted untill she figured Cloud could save her. She had planned to show him everything even how to awaken his powers and control them...but now...now she just wanted to run somewhere...she didn't realise her that with her concentration broken she was now visible untill Sephiroth yanked her around the corner of a building.

He looked her over and the expression still on her face said it all. "So now you know. I didn't lie to you but that doesn't excuse runing off to meet Cloud" he told her his voice gained a sterness to it that told her she was in trouble. But his look softened and he released her when she suddenly clung to him looking for comfort. Which coming from sephiroth would've been about as plentiful as water in the desert. So instead of saying something he simply let her cling and waited for her to speak.

"How could he? did he just forget about me?..." then she was silent for awhile and looked up at him "I want them to pay for this...for hurting me...I want the others here to witness it too."

He simply stared at her for a moment then smirked "then go get your vengance." He said and pushed her out into the open Cloud and Yuffie were still there only now they were huddled together on the ground Cloud was draped around her and they kissed briefly and exchange I love you's

Tifa could feel herself wanting to be sick seeing Cloud with Yuffie like that Yuffie had been her closest freind after Aeris died and everyone knew how she felt about Cloud.

"So this is what that whole scene was about." She started quickly catching their attention

"uh er...Tifa..." Cloud quickly stood as did Yuffie she'd been dreading this she'd calmed considerably when she realised there was no way Tifa could have known and after being stuck with Sephiroth she probably would have jumped on cloud too.

"Don't...say anything Cloud. You lied to me...why didn't you just tell me?" She asked hurt evident in her eyes.

"I...I dunno...I guess it just seemed wrong to tell you like that." He reasoned.

She shook her head "I can't believe this...I'm out of the picture for a month or two and suddenly you two are in LOVE! You didn't waste any time did you Yuffie?" She said the words with venom as her anger rose she was finding it hard to control herself.As she walked towards Cloud. She stopped directly in front of him and they just stared at each other for a moment Yuffie thought she was going to kiss him again to see if anything was there, But that idea went out the window when Tifa's fist connected with Cloud's right cheek sending him flat on his back.

he just rubbed his cheek and looked up at her he knew he deserved that if not more.

at the same time Yuffie gasped "Tifa?"

"Bastard!" she yelled. "you always play with my emotions! and I'm sick of it Cloud!"

"I'm done with you...all of you...Sephiroth was better company." She said angrily.

"You can't seriously mean that!" Yuffie yelled but when Tifa's cold stare landed on her she could feel the anger Tifa held toward her and shrunk a little behind the now sitting upright Cloud.Who only now noticed her eyes.

"Tifa...your eyes...what happened?"He asked with mixed concern and curiosity

"Oh you finally noticed huh? I gained some strength while I was with Sephiroth...I was going to share it with you Cloud but you don't deserve it anymore. So instead I think I'll show you a different way..." She said turning her back to them.

"gained strength?" Cloud wondered

"Show us?" Yuffie wondered at the exact same time.

"Yes...get up and defend yourselves we're going to fight." She said still not facing them she was concentrating on trying to transform like the files said she was supposed to...like Sephiroth had before...but currently she was finding it quite difficult.

Cloud stood "tifa...what're you talking about? we...we can't fight you! it wouldn't be right!" he said starting to approach her.

"Yea! he's right..I mean...sure this is kind of a bad situation but...we can still be freinds in the end right?" Yuffie asked.

"Oh sure...it's easy for you to say that...your not the ones who have the knife jammed in your backs!" Tifa yelled turning around and at the same time finding the ability to transfrom it happened in a flash and a bit of an explosion as large angelic wings sprouted from her back and a violet aura that pulsed crimson surrounded her. She was surprised at how much it hurt and cried out as it felt like every part of her body had changed though visibly not much was different. But the real change was in her cells they rearranged themselves to be at the peak of form for fighting conditions.

The burst of power knocked Cloud and Yuffie back a ways forcing them to get up again. ''Oh my..."Yuffie never finished that sentance she just trailed off staring at Tifa.

"Is that...really Tifa?" Cloud wondered aloud.

"Oh I assure you it's me...there's only one of me and unlike Aeris I haven't been tampered with this is my own decision you better fight with everything you've got or you won't survive this." She warned.

Tifa was about to launch herself at Cloud when Sephiroth came out of nowhere and curled his arm around her waist stopping her. "No" He said simply

"NO! They're mine! I have every right to beat them to hell and back!" Tifa yelled.

"If that was all you were going to do I'd let you believe me but you're far too angry and Cloud is to be killed by me and me only. Do what you will to the girl." He told her.

"Then...why don't you fight along side me?" Tifa asked. Sephiroth arched a brow he hadn't even considered the thought.

Cloud couldn't believe what he was hearing and neither could Yuffie.

"No this is your battle...your revenge I will not interfere unless It seems nessisary...for now _we_ will watch." Sephiroth replied.

"we?" Cloud questioned. His answer came in the form of Kadaj,Loz,Yazoo,Aeris,and Jenova herself revealing themselves and getting quite comfortable.

"Fine...let me go?" Tifa asked looking for permission to begin.

He nodded and released her. The instant he did she took off like a lightning bolt burying her fist into Yuffie's gut neither Yuffie nor Cloud had expected the attack to come so fast in fact they hadn't even _seen_ it come.

Tifa then proceeded to deliever blow after blow to the offbalance Yuffie knocking her around constantly Cloud found it difficult to follow her movements much less try and help Yuffie. Not that he actually could bring himself to hurt Tifa...So he wound up standing there in awe and totally dumbfounded as he watched Yuffie get taken apart. She cried out every time she was hit and was helpless to defend against Tifa's attacks as punch after punch connected with it's mark and the end of each combo always sending her slightly into the air Untill finally Tifa uppercutted her and sent her sailing through the air she bounced off a tree and landed at Aeris feet.

"How sad...that wasn't even a fight." Aeris commented boredly. Nudging Yuffie's body with her foot. "Come on get up and DO something this time."

"Yuffie!" Cloud called out going to her side but she was out cold.

_''ok that's it if you're not going to stop this then I'm taking over" _

Cloud clutched his head crying out "Aaaagh what...what are you doing! Stop it! get out of my head!"

Sephiroth was the only one who realised what was going on the others just seemed to think he had gone mad.

"Tifa! you must strike quickly!" He warned she glanced at him curiously but obeyed and hit Cloud with a quick jab combo ending with a roundhouse to the temple sending him spinning against the same tree Yuffie had bounced off of. By now though the others were coming the sound of the explosion when Tifa had transformed had gotten their attention.

"It's going to get Crowded here soon...and we don't have time for these distractions now that Cloud is no longer a problem I suggest we move forward." Jenova said suddenly

"Agreed" Sephiroth said looking toward Tifa and she gave a nod and they all headed back to the Shinra HQ it was finally time to awaken the others...all the sleepers.

"Over here!" Barret called out he was the first to find Cloud and Yuffie the others ran over hurridly

"Aww shit...look at them just what the fuck happened out here!" Cid questioned.

"Are they ok?" Nanaki asked as Vincent stepped forward to check them.

"Yes" He replied simply as he hoisted Cloud unto his back and started back Barret picked up Yuffie and followed along with the others except for Nanaki who stood there for a moment looking around and then sniffed the air. "that scent..." He muttered

"Yo Red lets get a move on eh?" Barret called back

"Right coming..." He replied and turned to follow.

Tifa was standing yet again on what was left of the roof of the old Shinra HQ with the others as she watched Jenova perform some odd ritual to cast the spell that would awaken everyone.

'this is it...this is _really_ it...the whole world is about to change...and I'm a part of it.' She thought weighing the impact her precense was having on the world against what she had done with Avalanche and in comparison this made Avalanche all seem like wasted effort. In reality she was basically making all that work meaningless having saved humanity only to be one of the ones to later help destroy it anyway but that was just fine with her. Everything she had was now abandoned of her old life her so called "freinds" were now her mortal enemies and her former enemy was now a potential lover...funny how things turned around.

Her mind kept turning to Cloud and Yuffie, Yuffie had betrayed her in a way that was beyond putting into words. Tifa had thought she could trust Yuffie but she turned out to be just as bad as Aeris only Yuffie wasn't going to die at Sephiroths hands and leave a broken Cloud behind no instead she'd die by Tifa's hand and Cloud would follow soon after. She blinked as she realised what she was thinking. Cloud she possibly have meant it? Conciously she denied it but part of her knew that she wanted to hurt them again, that she handn't wanted to stop when she attacked them, and most freightening of all that it had felt _good_.

She came out of her deep thought to catch a glimpse of Sephiroth staring at her or rather her wings which she still had. Of course she didn't realise that fact and just assuming he was actually looking at her not just her wings and blushed slightly unconciously moving a wing to block her view of him and it was only at that point did she even realise she had them. They had come so naturally and felt almost as if they weren't there it wasn't untill she had moved one individually that she had realised it and even then likely only because she could clearly see it right in front of her face.

Suddenly feeling brave she walked over to him. "Sephiroth...why did you call out to me back there?"

He simply stared at her as if she were stupid for a moment then replied "Because Could was about to kill you and quite possibly a few others"

She almost laughed and titled her head "You can't be serious Cloud? Kill ME? I don't think so"

"Don't go getting arrogant just because you've got powers and the two of you were close you've burned him now and those ties you had are burnt right along with him. The next time you see Cloud I'm sure he'll be more than prepared to fight you even kill you if he believes he has to. What you don't seem to realise is that while Cloud has been using many of his powers thus far he has yet to truly awaken. If he were allowed to do such a thing we would all have a problem."

Tifa frowned "Why?"

Both their attention shifted again as Jenova uttered the last words of her spell "I'll explain the rest to you later ok?" He said quickly and she'd have sworn he..smiled..or at least something like it crossed his face.

"Sephiroth?" She said timidly.

"yes?"

"You know..back there...you called me Tifa..." She said. causing him to give her a funny look "Yes...that is your name isn't it?"

"Yes...but...you've never called me by it before...only then did you do it why? why only then?" She looked up at him awaiting his answer.

For once Sephiroth was at a loss for words. "what do you mean? I'm sure I've called you by your name..." He was hurridly thinking about it trying to recall a single instance he hadn't called her 'woman' or 'girl' or 'annoyance' or something like that. He could not.

"No untill then you've only called me woman, or girl, or something irritating." She told him

finally he came up with an answer. "I suppose today you earned my respect"

Tifa couldn't help but smile Sephiroth THE Sephiroth had just told her he respected her and as far as she knew Sephiroth didn't respect ANYONE.

A beam of light sprought forth from jenova into the sky and dispersed like a wave among the clouds sweeping over the Earth people everywhere stopped and stared as it came and as it passed through them some began their transformations those that were but sleepers were awakening all across the world.

Of course the lightshow didn't go unnoticed by those on the highwind Vincent noticed it first though not by sight but by the trembling inside his body...all of his cells felt like they were on fire though he didn't show signs of pain he flinched when it began as the sudden and immense pain struck him his fist clenched as he tried to calm the raging beasts within.

Everyone was still gathered around Cloud and Yuffie when Cloud shot up suddenly screaming like a madman clawing at himself feeling much the same thing as Vincent was but much less able to handle it.

Barret and Cid rushed to him and pushed him down trying to hold his hands down to keep him from injuring himself.

"Cloud! calm down!" Nanaki said urgently as Cloud seemed to be overpowering both Barret and Cid.

"Damn man what the hell's got into you! Cloud! get a hold of yourself!" Barret yelled as Cloud flung his arm back tossing Cid aside. Only to have him run right back over and return to trying to restrain him.

"Vincent! what the fuck are you just standing there for? Help us out man!" Cid yelled at him

Vincent had a blank expression as he himself was trying to keep from sinking into the sort of madness Cloud had the pain somehow seemed to keep him from moving at first as everything in his body seemed frozen by the pain he only managed to get out words with strained effort. "Pain...Jenova...cells...burning..." He fell to one knee clutching his body as if trying to keep himself from exploding.

HIs words were likely unheard due to Clouds screaming but he suddenly stopped everything but when he did so his body levitated and burst into a dark flame causing both Barret and Cid to recoil from him as the flame burned them though it left no actual scar they heat and pain were intense neither of them could fiugre how it hadn't left a burn mark as they examined their arms.

Vincent stood again. "...this...is not good...get out...now!"

Everyone looked at him but cleared the room expecting he would follow instead he slammed the door behind them and barred it.

"Ok Cloud...let's see what kind of demons you hold..." he said straining to keep his own demons down. The exploded and filled with darkness for a few seconds and finally left in Cloud's place was someone who looked like Cloud but obviously wasn't it couldn't have been Six black wings had grown on his back his left arm had become a sharp bladelike wing his hair had grown outward and upwards maintaining it's spikeyness but simply in a overgrown form that looked even more wild than usual. He was still hovering with eyes shut and opened them slowly revealing his eyes had become a dark Turqoise color.

"Vincent...you look terrible why don't you give in?...show your true form." He said suddenly

"Cloud...if you even are still Cloud. What...is going on? what have you become?" Vincents voice was still strained he could feel the combined powers of all his inner demons raging within him trying to force their way out refusing to be surpressed any longer. But he needed to know more he needed to know if Cloud was still freind or if he had become a foe.

"You should know...Jenova has acomplished her goal she has awakened all the sleepers...like me...Tifa...you. though you resist it the power will show itself soon enough." Cloud explained

"Tifa?...but she isn't..." He was cut off by Cloud

"Oh but she is...Tifa is the enemy now she's been helping Sephiroth she is the one who attacked Yuffie and myself." Cloud explained

"So...it was her?...what did you mean by awakened?" Vincent questioned

"Simple...just look at me. what you see now is the true Cloud the _real_ Cloud the original. I am the exact opposite of Sephiroth and...I lived waiting for this day to come...The day Sephiroth takes over the world and now that I'm here my sole purpose is to kill him and his people"

"But...if there are others out there...they probably don't even know what's going on or why this is happening!" Vincent argued

"Perhaps...perhaps not. Jenova will call to them and then they will know. Jenova made a terrible mistake triggering the awakening now she should have waited till I was dead first instead of thinking simply knocking out that fool would be enough to stop _me_ from coming out." Cloud cracked his neck with an audible noise "mmf...man Tifa really worked him over and only a few attacks. I'll have to be careful about her." He said to himself

Vincent was about to say something but his body quivered and he fell to his knees again as the pain grew more intense.

"I already told you Vincent stop fighting it. You'll only cause yourself more pain and possibly even permanent damage to your body." Cloud warned

The dark blue demonic wings of chaos srpouted from Vincents back while the chainsaw arm of Hellmasker replaced his good arm and his body bulked a bit like that of the Galian Beast. He wasn't hunched foward however though the horns did still grow on either side of his head as his hair grew down his back to the back of his thigh obtaining streaks of red as his eyes turned crimson. A deafening roar sounded from him as he transformed. Cloud simply sat there smirking as he watched Vincent's ascension into the awakened state.

"W..what the hell is this!" Vincent bellowed his voice came out much louder than he had expected and had gained an odd sound to it as if more than one person was talking almost as if he were possesed and something was speaking through him.

He looked himself over as best he could the first thing catching his attention was the chainsaw arm though he noted his other arm with the golden gauntlet had remained unchanged aside from the added muscle mass.

"Don't forget the horns." Cloud said chuckling.

"Horns? what ho-" He reached up with his hands taking a second to remember that one of them was a chainsaw now and felt along one of his horns with his hand. "-ly...what kind of monster have I become? A mirror...I need a mirror" He said desperately almost tearing the room apart with strength he hadn't even begun to fathom the depths of.

Yuffie awoke into a state of semi conciousness with a groan immediately catching Cloud's attention "Yuffie!" He darted over to her.

She gazed up at him thinking herself in a dream then took one look at his wings and said."Oh gawd...I'm dead aren't I?"

Cloud just smiled at her "No...you're not dead love." She sat up

"I feel like I've been hit by meteor...and it landed on my head." She said only now noticing Vincent in the other corner of the room having finally gotten hold of something reflective as he stared at his new form.

"Is that...Vincent?...what the hell is going on here?" She asked turning to Cloud.

"Shh...don't worry too much about it now. You've been hurt pretty bad...Tifa really kicked the crap out of you. Vincent over there just reached a new transformation Jenova is awakening the powers of everyone who has been infected with her cells. By now there's thousands more than there were originally either through passing the genes on or through some means of invasion either though blood transfussions open wounds or even contracting them from the planet. Remember Geo Stigma? Everyone affected by it will awaken to new strength. I...I have to go stop them you stay with the others." He told her.

"what?...but..I...I don't understand..." She barely got out as she laind back down feeling weak. Her body hurt like hell she knew she probably had fractured or broken bones but she hurt so much that she couldn't tell what was broken and what wasn't it all hurt just the same. Which was likely the only reason she had even managed sitting up breifly like she had.

"Don't worry...I'll be back for you and everything will be ok." He assured her his mako green eyes staring into her deep brown ones.

"But...I want...I want to go with you." She told him managing to get a hand to gently touch his face.

"I...I can heal you but if I do..." He trailed off.

"But what?" she asked weakly

"It'll make you like us...and I don't know what you'll turn into." He finally said after a long silence.

"It's ok...as long as I'm with you it'll be fine...I...I just don't want to be without you right now." Cloud nodded at her words understanding how she felt having gone through such a terrifying life threatening experience. Nearly being beaten to death by a now former freind was not something any of them could have fathomed but it had happened, Tifa had almost killed Yuffie and now Cloud was going to make them all pay...with Yuffie at his side.

He placed his hands on her chest and stomach and a light green aura surrounded both as a mysterious energy flowed out from him into her and bruises began to heal all over her body she let out a soft moan it felt good as her body rejuvinated as new strength flowed into her.

When he stopped her body didn't change at all and she sat up looking at her hands and then down at herself "Uh...I don't feel any different"

"Hm...odd..you didn't change...maybe it still has to awaken within you or maybe it needs time to adapt to your body. Either way you have new powers we just have to figure out what they are..."

No sooner had the words been spoken did she begin to convulse violently

"Yuffie!" Cloud grabbed her and tried to hold her still

"Her body...is rejecting the cells. You of all people should have thought of that Cloud" Vincent's voice came from the corner.

"Shut up!" He yelled "Yuffie oh no..please Yuffie! you've got to be ok."

Sephiroth and Tifa were hovering high above the world looking down at the chaos that had erupted it was like war as people everywhere ran screamed fired shots at one another calling each other monsters. Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz appeared slightly behind them "Shall we go get things started?" Kadaj asked

Sephiroth nodded "Yes...go to it you three set of south around the world Tifa and I will go west Jenova to the north and Aeris to the east and remember not all of them will be quite so willing to join us some may still have family ties that they won't be willing to let go of untill they're betrayed.They may even fight against us " He warned

"But why? why would they fight us?" Yazoo questioned. the very idea seemed foolish.

"Aren't we...family?" Loz added

Sephiroth sighed he hated dealing with the over emotional trio. "If they resist let Kadaj asses the situation and decide what to do." He turned to face them "Kadaj you _do_ understand this a bit better than they do correct?"

"Yes. I realise some of them may have to be destroyed."

"Good. But do not attack anyone who is simply confused and undecided we don't want to make any unnessisary enemies we don't yet know how varied the developed powers are some of them may be quite powerful perhaps too powerful for even the three of you."

With that Sephiroth turned away from them "now go"

The trio took off to the south simultaneously at the exact moment he said the word go. Next it was Aeris who showed up.

"So...Mother says I'm supposed to go east?" She asked

"Yes...so why are you here?" Sephiroth questioned. slightly annoyed

"Uhm..I was wondering if maybe you were coming with me?" She asked eying Tifa who refused to turn and look at her.

"No. I've already decided I'm going with Tifa to the west." He told her.

"Oh..but I..I don't know what I'm supposed to tell these people I'm likely to get there and just start fighting I need someone to come with me and keep me in check." She replied.

Sephiroth sighed "Fine I'll go" Tifa turned to look at him and now finally back at Aeris and glared.Aeris just gave her one of those trademark sweet smiles.

'_I'm going to kill her...'_ Tifa thought. Sephiroth caught the tension and decided to speak "Is there a problem Tifa?"

"uh...no.." She said timidly...'unless you count wanting to strangle her as a problem' she thought.

"I'm fine...I'll see you soon." Tifa added and took off.

Sephiroth looked almost like he wanted her to protest but he was stuck now..."Let's go..."

End Chapter 7

Sorry for the long wait I got stumped for awhile but here's the new chapter fresh from the oven and longer than normal. and to prove I'm going to keep writing this...

Next Chapter- Chapter8- "Your Heaven's A Lie!"

and another little tid bit...Zack will appear because...let's face it HE's the real badass Cloud's just a poser with his sword.


	8. Your heavens a lie

Chapter 8- Your heavens a Lie

Tifa was screeching across the sky she had already been through bone village and they had been surprisingly easy to convince but then again they all recognized her from when she had been there with Cloud...She dwelled breifly on memories before shakin her head clear of them she decided to start on the continent from Costa del sol and move west from there...

Costa del Sol was a mess the number of people here who had changed was few and the people who hadn't changed had banded together to drive them out...were they in for a surprise.

Tifa watched at first as the persecuted few stood lined up their various mutations apparent a couple had wings though not angelic like hers theirs were scaly like one would expect a dragon to have. another had devolped some fishlike traits, and the others had developed extra limbs.

The 'normal' people were pretty much doing the whole angry mob thing...stones were thrown, a few had weapons, bats, clubs, a couple of swords, though beyond that the people of Costa del sol were pretty poorly armed. She wondered how even in such small numbers any of her kind could wind up in this situation against those kinds of weapons.

"What a sorry group...I wonder if they even realise they have powers and haven't just changed appearances.." She muttered and swooped down landing in a whirlwind that blew the stones being thrown right back at their throwers.

"Who...who is that?!" one of them shouted as Tifa's wings flared out.

"my god it's an Angel!" another called out. She smirked at that...yes an Angel...but not of hope or joy no...she was an Angel of Wrath.

She ignored the crowd for the moment and turned to the others "Are you all alright?"

They looked at her confused and uncertain but the one with the wings and now that she was closer she could see also he had the claws and fangs of a dragon. spoke "Who the hell are you? and what do you care?"

"I am Tifa...I've come to gather everyone...all the awakened ones. That means you go to Midgar the answers are there. You've all gained increidble powers you just don't know it yet...Humanity's time on this world is over you will be part of the new race that takes over this world..." She paused for a minute "Join with the rest of us in Midgar and you shall be safe and if you so desire you can get revenge on those who would do such petty things as throwing stones at you, a superior being."

She turned back to the crowd who had grown freightened after hearing her talk. "We were all chosen the same way...yet you scorn them and gaze in awe at me? that is why...that is why humanity will ...die." when she said the last word she launched herself at them with the same speed she had attacked Yuffie with and in seconds they were all on the ground most never even realised she had moved before they went down.

The other awkakened ones stared in awe "If we go to midgar...will we gain that kind of power?"

"You already have power...it's just a matter of learning to use it some will be stronger than others some will only be strong in certain situations or areas...it's up to you to learn your own strengths but if you go to midgar...Jenova will show you how." She took off leaving the others behind when she looked back they were headed for the dock. She smiled obviously they were going to go.

Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo were standing in what was now a nameless mass of tents and huts there were holes in the ground where one could clearly see the lifestream. "yuck...what a nasty little town." Kadaj muttered

The place wasn't as bad as Costa Del Sol...people had taken the awakening rather well...though in such close proximity to life stream only 2 or 3 of them had actually changed and they were simply being treated as if they had contracted an illness...not as monsters when Kadaj and the others arrived they had been getting medical treatment.

"Whats this? what's going on here?" Kadaj demanded this wasn't at all the scene he had imagined...it wasn't at all what was supposed to be going on.

"those people...the ones with the abnormal traits? they've come down with some kind of disease that changed their bodies...but the odd thing is that they were all affected at once...we're seeing if there is anything we can do for them now." A woman answered him. she had been watching the trio since they entered the town.

"I can see that...but why?! this isn't supposed to be happening...this is...this is supposed to be different..." He muttered as if not realising the reply hadn't come from Yazoo or Loz. Then moments after he said it he looked at the woman as the realisation hit him

"In such close proximity to pure mako people rarely get sick from normal ailments but...we do get alot of odd ones here. So something like this I suppose is what you'd call normal for us." She explained

"..."Kadaj said nothing he looked back toward the doctors and was horrified when he saw the needle filled with a pure blend of lifestream. he watched as it was injected and the subject sure enough recovered some of his humanity.

"Brother?" Yazoo said concerned noting Kadaj's expression.

"Destory it...destroy it all! they're trying to undo mothers hard work!" Kadaj yelled his sword was in his hand a second later the woman who had first spoken to him backed away in terror she didn't know what exactly they'd done wrong but obviously he was serious. Kadaj Yazoo and Loz went to work erradicating the populous. Horrid screams came with the sudden bout of destruction and it wasn't long before the trio were face to face with the 3 that had changed. "What do you want here?!" one demanded he seemed serpentine having a sort of lengthiness to his body and he was constantly coiled.

Kadaj hmphed "to destroy humanity...and this garbage you are working on here."

"What're you saying? aren't YOU human?" Another demanded this one had devolped a jagged ness to his skin as if he were made of sharpened scales.

"We only appear that way...in reality we're just more perfect versions of you. who have not yet learned to control your power." Yazoo cut in

"Do we have to fight our brothers?" Loz asked looking saddened

"Don't cry Loz...if we do it's only because they are unworthy." Kadaj answered

"Brothers?" the third finally spoke up he was somewhat like vincent in that he had become a hulking beast much like a minotaur.

"All who have change are the children of Jenova mother awaits her children to come to her so she can explain why this has happened and our new purpose. we are a race that has existed secretly in the shadow of humanity but in time our number grew many have no idea they are like us you three obviously are not of the original bloodline...you must have gained mothers DNA through your parents or some other means...but the fact remains...you are like us." Yazoo explained.

"What is your goal? for what purpose do you aim for?" the serpent spoke.

"I already told you! we will wipe out humanity and claim what is rightfully ours!" Kadaj yelled

"Brother...that is not all you're only telling them the hateful side." Yazoo inerrupted

"We wish to go to the promised land...a place of perfection that as the name implies was promised to our people...but we cannot get there as we are now stuck on this planet but humanity will not tolerate our existence now that we have revealed ourselves and conflict is inevitable...so we simply struck first deciding that if we even the field they would be more willing to submit. Mother does not desire to be on this planet and we'd like to leave if we could...we just can't right now. So untill then this place will become our promised land." Yazoo explained

"I see...its understandable why you would fight for such a thing...but to kill so many people who did nothing but live their lives...it's unthinkable...I cannot allow you to continue!" The miotaur said.

"fine...then die here." Kadaj attacked without warning his blade cut through the man in a single move and he fell dead the remaining two moved to attack and Loz nearly shed a tear as he was forced to bash the one who had the spikes all around him cracking his armored skin and the rods from he weapon on his arm shot forth into the crack and subdued him. Yazoo fired shots into the snake as it headed for Loz it took quite a few rounds before going down and staying down. after the breif fight Yazoo litterally broke into tears. "Why...why did you make us kill you?...this could have been avoided..." he was deeply pained by killing those he viewed as his brothers.

"don't cry for them Yazoo...they were not truly part of us." Kadaj stated placing his hand on Yazoo's shoulder. He swatted it away "You wanted to kill them...I can still feel your bloodlust."

Kadaj looked at him for a moment and sighed "let's go."

"...what about the town?" Loz questioned

Kadaj stopped "I'll finish things here you two go on."

Over in Wutai Aeris and Sephiroth had their work cut out for them it was litteraly a battlefield apparently many of those who had obtained new powers were of the shady variety and decided to use their abilities for personal gain. meanwhile the wutai authorities were trying desperately to stop them. But even now a group was headed for the pagoda intending to take over Wutai.

"their ambition is admirable...they only recieved their power a short while ago and already they're moving to take over a country.." Sephiroth noted.

"Please don't lose your temper like you did in Kalm..." Aeris pleaded...when they had passed through Kalm some of the people there made the mistake of challenging him...and he turned it into another Nibelham.though to his credit this time there were at least _some_ survivors. While they were looking on, a helicopter arrived "Oh?...what's this?"

The chopper didn't land it's passengers made their way out via rope ladder. Sephiroth immediately recognized the red haired annoyance followed by the bald man with shades. "The turks...interesting so Shina still had some life left after all."

Reno,Rude,Elena,Tseng and also Cait Sith made their way into the chaos and surprisingly enough were pretty much single handedly turning everything around. Sephiroth also notted the chopper hadn't left...that meant it still had something else to do...another person to drop perhaps?

"We should get down there." Aeris cut into his thoughts.

"Yes go and heal them I'll deal with the turks personally..." before sephiroth started to move someone made themselves known "Hahaha so these guys think they've got some power huh?"

"wait." Sephiroth grabbed Aeris hand before she could leave "Apparently someone was calling the shots...this should be interesting...come." He led her down out of sight somewhere they could observe the fight.

"I am the future emporer of wutai! Suijin." the man proclaimed he apparently was one of the ones who had a more pure set of jenova cells because his body didn't look monstrous. the only odd attribute to him was that his hair looked like it was flowing water and his eyes were an icy blue that matched Sephiroths.

He called forth strong blasts of water that knocked back the turks as they advanced. "Damnit...this guy's gonna be tough..." Elena cursed. "Nah...just break out the bolt materia" Reno assured her. "Oh right! water conducts electricity! that'll teach him!" Elena replied and activated said materia.

It took him a minute to realise what they were doing but the first bolt that struck hit hard, he cried out and fell to his knees. "Hah...how's that you bastard?" Reno chuckled starting forward with his stunrod.

"you...you thought a single bolt would finish ME?! you arrogant imbeciles! you'll never hit me with that again!" Suijin proclaimed and resumed his water attack this time reno used a mastered bolt

But Suijin was prepared when he saw the materia glow he raised one hand and created a trail of water the lightning struck the water and followed it as it curled around suijins body and ultimately wound up re-directed at Reno.

"he's good...he's learned to use his powers quite effectively.." Sephiroth commented.

Reno went flying back and thudded against a wall. Rude's head had turned to follow where he'd landed as had Elena's but they quickly looked back to see Tseng and Cait Sith had moved in.

"Still determined? I'll show you a little more of my power then!" His hand shot foward and a spike of water shot forward quickly hardening into ice it impaled Cait Sith's robot body.

"What the hell? he can make ice too?!" Elena called out running in behind Tseng she was firing a gun at Suijin but he seemed to have a barrier of water that slowed the bullets down to the point that they didn't even go beyond the barrier...they simply glided through slowed and stalled falling harmlessly to the ground.

Tseng by now had realised the only way to defeat him was either in close combat or through magic and they had already wasted their shot at using magic.

Tseng didn't however count on becomming encased in a water prison.he sidestepped a stream of water only to have it reach out and grab him...litteraly.

"damnit this is bad!" Rude muttered to himself as he set to the charge trying to think of a way to get Tseng out. The chopper hovering above finally revealed it's purpose as a black haired man exited the chopper...unlike the others he simply jumped out the Bolt materia already glowing and the massive lightning bolt struck Suijin who hadn't seen it coming while he was stunned still screaming in pain and his defenses were down the black haired man used the full force of his fall to his advantage delivering a knockout punch sending Suijin skidding along the ground.

Sephiroth and Aeris eyes both widened "That's..." Sephiroth started.

'ZACK!' Aeris mentally screamed 'how can he be here?! he shouldn't be here...he's dead...I was with him in the lifestream!...' her heart was pounding. her breath quickened she was freaking out...she was...she was...she was...having a panic attack. She collapsed against a wall.

"cursed women...always falling apart." Sephiroth muttered looking at Aeris she was a mess...

He revealed himself leaping clear into the midst of the group down below.

Zack jumped back as the mass of black and silver flew through the air and landed in front of him his eyes widened as he realised what it was.."S...Sephiroth!"

The turks backed up as well none of them sure what to do...the orders had been to assist wutai and asses the power of these attackers who seemingly came from nowhere. Nowhere had the possibility of encountering Sephiroth been mentioned.Afrerall he was _supposed_ to be dead.

"Sephiroth! what are you doing here? how can you possibly still be alive?!" Cait Sith yelled being the only one to approach him then again..it was easy to be brave when you were a robot.

"dead?...I will never die. I am so much greater than you it's almost sad...for you that is." He drew masamune slashing the air around him as he did so.

"As for why I'm here...well you don't deserve to know...not that you could do anything about it now that it's already happened."

Zack cursed the fact he had no sword for the moment and was currently forced to simply give Sephiroth a nasty glare. while Reno and the others prepared to fight.

"Hm?..what's this? Reno actually being brave? what happened to your trademark? running away when the going got tough...you really should stick to it since things just got _Impossible_."Sephiroth pointed his sword at Reno marking him as the first to fall.

"Sephiroth...I've done enough running...especially from you in the past we turks would never have been a match for you...but we've gotten much stronger especially me Rude and I have fought Cloud enough to know that we're not weak anymore!"

"SEPHIROTH!" this time it was sephiroth's turn to move as he just barely jumped aside to avoid Cloud's sword digging into the ground where he had just been standing.

"Cloud..." He hissed the name as hatred filled his voice.

"CLOUD!!" Zack was well to say the least overjoyed his slightly younger pal had arrived and he was somewhat proud to see Cloud was still carrying his old buster sword around.

Clouds attention was caught by the new voice he recognized it...though he knew it was one he hadn't heard in a long time...He turned and his face turned into a odd mix of shock and wonder. "zack...you're alive..."

"Well well...we've got quite the reunion here don't we?" Sephiroth questioned with a chuckle "SOLDIER first Class Zack, and regular infantrymen Cloud. You know Zack..Cloud could've made first class SOLDIER easily...too bad about that..._incident_ huh?"

Cloud gritted his teeth. "SHUT UP!" he was about to go for the buster sword but Zack already darted past him snatching it up as he went and he swung the blade upwards meeting instantly with Sephiroths Masamune.

Cloud's expression went back to surprise and he looked at his hand and then at Zack as if about to say "hey that was mine!" but he was silent...He had reverted to a bit of a childlike state as he watched his two childhood hero's fight...one the now insane Sephiroth and the other The returned to life SOLDIER Zack.

They stood locked like that for a moment as each tested the others strength "Zack...where have you been all this time anyway? Last I recall I left you in the reactor I half expected it to be you chasing me around the world not that blonde haired puppet."

"Well sorry about that I'd have been glad to chase you all over creation but I was little busy being dead!" Zack pushed forward.

"Then you should have stayed that way!" Sephiroth shoved hard finally breaking the lock Zack's sword was forced down and dug into the dirt slightly. Sephiroth smirked as he thrust forward.

Cloud caught sight of Reno moving toward the two and ran to intercept him as Zack spun left letting his right hand come off the sword he yanked it up with his left alone forcing sephiroth to retreat right to avoid it as it came around. He caught sight of Reno and in mid back step turned into a half spin masamune slashing at him and Reno would likely have been caught completly by it had Cloud not grabbed him at the last second and yanked him back.

A disaproving glare came from Sephiroth slightly miffed he'd missed his target in his opinion beheading Reno would be an imporvement over that idiotic look always plastered on his face.

"whoa...you saved my neck...litterally." Reno's voice came out quite troubled as he realised a bit late he would've died.

"...this is their fight now old freinds turned enemies as much as I want to help I know I'll only get in Zack's way. besides I don't have a sword anymore...looks like he's come back to reclaim it."

Having reached a pause they each stared at the other awaiting the next move both consdiering their options and what to do next. It was like a game of chess only with your life on the line consiering every possible outcome, thinking at least 5 moves ahead and trying to chose the road that will lead to your own victory.

"Zack! we're withdrawing! we're not properly equipped to take on Sephiroth!" Tseng called out he was on his phone so apparently he had called HQ for instrucions since Reeve had been removed from the loop once Cait Sith was destroyed.

Zack gritted his teeth he knew there was no way Sephiroth would just let them retreat. No his only option here was to drive him back somehow...

Around them a battle was raging though it had been all but forgotten, Somewhere in the mess was Yuffie trying to find her father among the chaos, fortunately for her her body hadn't changed yet so she only had to deal with those attacking and not the defenders as well...and who knows how her father would react to her if she had transformed..her mind lingered on it for a bit longer than it should have as she wondered just why she hadn't changed like Cloud had she could feel that there was something different...her mind went back to what had happened earlier

_"Her body is rejecting it Cloud, you of all people should have thought of that."_

_"SHUT UP!"_

_"yuffie...please be ok...you've got to be ok"_

_"What's going on?! Cloud?!" _

_"No time! Yuffie needs help!"_

_blackness..._

she had been aware of everything up to that point. But for some reason she couldn't remember anything else...she knew there was more how had they saved her?

Tifa was getting bored so far there hadn't been any real trouble nor had any of her...'old freinds' shown up. She had gained a little bit of a following a few who believed she shouldn't have been taking on such a mission alone mostly they just wanted to be around her though so naturally it was an entirely male group who had been captivated by her beauty going about 10-15 strong. Nevermind that Tifa could probably wipe the floor with all of them if she wanted to.

She laughed inwardly at them they were foolish to belive they had any chance with her. She had already made up her mind. Next on the list was...Cosmo Canyon. She stopped in her tracks. The first second thought she'd had since she started this mission Cosmo Canyon had been a very special place to her it had been the only place that they had all been able to relax in even if only for a little while something about that flame just made you feel comfortable...and the people there...they had all been so nice and open to sharing what ever they had...she couldn't...no not there...she'd have to leave it to someone else she couldn't bring herself to put an end to the peaceful nature of Cosmo Canyon. Instead she veered right and headed for Nibelham...the place it all began...the place it kept starting over again and again. Now THAT place she had no problem burning to the ground. A place who's history was shrouded in secrets and lies a place Shinra had made it's own testing ground, A place that _deserved_, no BEGGED to be destroyed and destroy it she would.

Their arrival was heralded by Magic fire raining from the skies it didn't take long for the running and screaming to start it seemed Nibelham had been untouched by the awakening not surprising since it was afterall stuffed with now ex shinra employees of course none of them had jenova cells.

Vincent had been in the mansion when it started staring at his old coffin and wondering if he should just go back to it again...but no he couldn't not now not after coming this far. He had managed to get back to his original form though he found that it was difficult to maintain unlike before where it had been hard to mantain the outward manifestation of his other selves this time it was like _he_ was the manifestation and whatever the new creature was had been the real thing all along even now his body tried to rebel against his whishes as a horn revealed itself then slowly dissapeared as he regained his composure.

He had been thinking about what he would do if Tifa were to show up as the enemy going over the so called "plan"

_"ok the awakening has started Sephiroth will definately move to gather them into a organized force but since they'll start out in scattered pockets around the world and be largly outnumbered by the population that remains human it's likely he'll send Aeris, and Tifa out in different directions so they can cover more ground. There were three others I didn't recognize when Tifa attacked us, they may be powerful as well so watch out for them, and of course there's still Jenova herself. There's no telling what Jenova will do so we'll just have to be careful. to try and counter this we'll split up each going to a town and defending it. If possible try to subdue all the awakened ones before one of them can get there to act as reinforcements, most of these guys won't have any idea what's going on or how to use their new powers too well so it shouldn't be much trouble." Cloud was taking the leader role again..._

_"But Cloud is going individually a good idea? none of us are a match one on one for Sephiroth except for you should any of us encounter him instead it would mean certain death." Nanaki always spotting the holes in his hairbrained ideas._

_"plus we're short handed as it is with Tifa gone and we don't even know what the hell with Yuffie... what fuck man you trying to get us all killed?" Cid cut in_

_"fine but we'll lose out on alot of chances to reduce their numbers we'll go two by two" Cloud had decided_

_"huh? but..there's an odd number there's 5 of us." Barret pointed out._

_"Yuffie will go with me Barret and Cid will go to rocket town I know Cid probably wants to go there anyway and watch over Shera...we can pick up Marlene and Aeris mother along the way. Vincent you and Nanaki will go to Nibelham I'm certain they will go there...if no one else Tifa will."_

_"What about you?" Barret asked_

_"I'll take Yuffie to Wutai. maybe there's something there that'll help besides she should probably stay out of combat if possible...and I doubt Wutai will be a major target" Oh how wrong had he been..._

_"I see...maybe they can tell us something...besides Yuffie will rest easier there at home and will trust you to protect her and her people...rather well thought out for once Cloud." Nanaki complemented him on his thinking._

_Cloud had left first with Yuffie and imeddiately after they were gone the others seemed to exhale in relief_

_"Do you really think he'll be ok? I mean...after last night?" Barret wondered aloud._

_"..."eveyone was silent obviously no one wanted to talk about it._

The screams of the townsfolk interrupted his recollection and he rushed up to the main level "Nanaki!" He called out.

Nanaki had already gone outside and stood looking up at Tifa.

"Well...I was wondering when you guys would show up...is everyone here?" she questioned.

"Sorry to dissapoint you Tifa...it's only us two." Vincent replied as he stepped out his gun in hand and aimed for her heart.

"Cold as always Vincent...I expected you to make the decision to kill me first and to be the first to actually try. After all you were a Turk being cold like that is in your nature. To think only what?a month, or two ago we were all such good freinds."

Vincent almost flinched she was trying to get inside his head. perhaps make him rethink things...overthink things, hesitate.

And it worked. Tifa caught the breif moment of his distraction and with a wave of her hand sent forth her followers gunshots soon followed as Vincent cursed himself for falling for such a trick. But now Tifa would be impossible to hit in this mess as a small swarm decended upon them. Nanaki introduced them to his sled fang. powering through the group forcing it to divide while Vincent picked his shots targeting the ones he believed were more dangerous.

Tifa seemed to dissapear for awhile and neither could find her until it was too late, Their attackers suddenly withdrew and the green materia in her glove lit up and flare was cast in an instant they regretted having chosen Tifa as the bearer of the most powerful materia's they'd had it had seemed reasonable she was level headed and since she had intended on living a quiet life it was likely no one would ever see them again. Yet here they were with her using them against her former freinds. they both moved to escape it but the blast sent both of them flying back anyway.

Nanaki recovered first he'd landed on his feet despite skidding and bouncing a couple times. Vincent on the other hand was not so agile...especially not while his body still tried to rebel against his will as he picked himself up his eyes widened when he realised Tifa was already running at him her wings curled downwards actually making her aerodynamic and allowing her to move faster than normal...which considering what her normal speed was now was pretty damn fast.

He instantly went for his gun but as he brought his hand up to take the shot she had already buried her fist into his gut. He had expected Tifa's punches to be painful...judging by her speed he'd estimated it'd be like getting hit by a car. but this...this was like being smacked head on by a bullet train while running at it at full steam.

His body would have flown back except she had grabbed his wrist and yanked him back toward her landing another blow to the body.This time he seemed to crumple over her fist...he wasn't out but the air in his lungs certainly was. Nanaki ran at her as fast as he could the idea of facing Tifa was awkward even after what had just happened to Vincent it seemed unreal. But just the same he lunged at her unfortunately she'd heard him coming her left hand which had previously been used to yank Vincent back unto her right where he still hung gasping for air. reached out and caught him under the jaw.

"Nanaki...it's rude to attack someone while they're not paying attention. By the way your wild fighting style has a major flaw, like this for example you're always in the air. making it predictable what you'll do and where you're going also because of your body being like that of a say...a dog. you have no ability to counter in a situation like this and you have many blind spots and weak points that I can fully exploit." She said without looking at him she was still focused on Vincent. In the last couple of years neither of you has changed at all you still think act and fight the same way no new techniques no new abilities...it's kind of sad really...I suppose we all got lazy though after all after what we went through we deserved a break right? I suppose I got lucky in this situation I'm the one who wound up being chosen and gaining all these fantastic powers..."

"You also gained...a fantastic arrogance." Vincent had apparently recovered though she'd been focused on Nanaki and hadn't noticed.

She gasped and her head turned toward Vincent only for it to connect with a backhand slap from his gauntlet.

she cried out and as her head turned with the force of the blow Nanaki made his move thrusting his hind legs forward into her ribs causing her to contort awkwardly and she released both of them stepping back a ways. "ooooooooooooooooh! YOU WILL REGRET THAT!" She raged, some of her 'groupies' started to move but she held out her arm "NO They are mine! this fight is between me and _them_." her eyes narrowed.

Vincent took aim and fired at her but she spun on her heal and rushed him again dodging bullets as if she'd done it everyday for years. Finally he had a clean shot she saw it too she jumped at least avoiding a fatal hit her leg took the bullet as she came down with a right hook he backed up to avoid it but she kept coming wounded leg be damned. He contined trying to shoot her but she kept swatting his hand like an annoying fly everytime he was even close to having a shot. It was a lightning fast fight each shot that rang out brought the onlookers to hold their breath for a moment wondering if Tifa would be shot but the thunderous smacking sound of her hand swatting his arm before the next shot always told them she was ok.

It was amazing how the bullet in her leg barely seemed to slow her down maybe it was adrenaline, maybe it was because of her changed body,Or maybe it was just when you knew if you slowed down even just one notch that you'd die it didn't matter what was wrong with your body and you found a way to keep moving anyway.

Vincent was overwhelmed he let out a slight yelp or was it a gasp? when he saw Tifa finally break through his attempts and she stepped in planting herself firmly as she drove her elbow into his chest pushing him back he tried to recover and shoot at her but she ducked this time and came up with an uppercut that finally took him off his feet.

Nanaki had been forced to watch the whole thing or risk getting hit by one of Vincents stray bullets in fact even though he'd stayed out of it a couple of them had come uncomfortably close.

Now though seeing Vincent go into the air it was obviously going to be over for him if something wasn't done so Nanaki charged in though Tifa was already turning to face him "your turn" she said simply cracking her knuckles. Nanaki was a bit more careful about attacking this time around choosing to stick to the ground a bit more using the dual bladed clip in his mouth to try and slash her legs as he ran past he knew Tifa's style if she lost the use of her legs alot of her capabilities would be cut. She was forced to jump back again and again. as he rushed past her.

"damn you...fight me directly!" She cursed

'keep jumping around...that leg is going to give eventually...' Nanaki thought. taking into account her wounded leg.

Sure enough eventually it gave as she jumped back once more though as she landed it buckled and she cried out in pain. 'NOW!' Nanaki turned around sharply and leapt at her. her eyes locked on him she knew what was coming and her mind raced trying to figure out some possible way to avoid it...there was none, but...there was a way to counter it, Her fist shot out and connected with Nanaki's nose he yelped rather loudly and tumbled backwards after hitting the ground. "That was good...I couldn't avoid that,but there was still a very simple way to counter it.You had hoped I would panic because of my wound and my temporary inability to move. Too bad for you."

Both Nanaki and Vincent were uncouncious now as Tifa stood over them. She looked back "Burn it to the ground and kill all the Shinra bastards." were her orders and they were carried out swiftly. "We'll leave these two here to think about their failure for awhile neither of them is exactly human so I don't see the need to destroy them." She added and with that set off to find somewhere to sit and tend to her leg...

Zack rushed Sephiroth without warning instinctively Sephiroth went into a defensive stance and lashed out when Zack was within reach though Zack had planned on this and turned the Buster sideways allowing Masamune to slide along the groove in it's side Sephiroth suddenly realised what he was doing but it was too late Zack turned the busted sharply and thrust it into the ground locking Masamune beneath it

Sephiroth gave a futile tug at his sword while Zack released the buster and ran as Sephiroth intending to continue fisticuff style

Now sure Sephiroth was trained in all areas but his expertise was with the sword Zack on the other hand had used Hand to Hand much more often and frequently mixed it in with his swordplay and when it came down to it despite all his supposed genetic perfection Sephiroth just couldn't outfight Zack hand to hand.

It started as soon as Sephiroth made the mistake of trying to get his obviously trapped sword Zack caught him with a left followed up by a right to the gut and ended the combo with a spin kick that connected with Sephiroths chest. He went back a couple of steps he was far from falling over just yet. His irritation was plain on his face he didn't like fighting without his sword...he didn't like it one bit.

"Sephiroth! What's the matter? can't fight without your sword? " Zack taunted.

Sephiroth tensed he couldn't show any sign of weakness now and took one of the stances he recalled from his training.

"Oh? taking that stance?" Zack was already making him second guess the decision. "Hey Cloud you can get involved now." Zack called out

Cloud looked surprised but grinned "I'd love to." He stepped up staring his hated enemy in the eye.

Sephiroth looked past them longingly at his Masamune cursing Zack. This didn't look good.

They came at Sephiroth from either side and he did his best to block their punches and deflect kicks he was doing surprisingly well actually Considering he was being attacked by two people at the same time. He eventually got out of the middle of them stepping around Cloud after ducking a round house he landed a jab to the kidney. Cloud turned angrily and rushed him breaking his synch with Zack the fists flew quickly and Zack noticed Sephiroth seemed to suddenly get better at hand to hand combat when he was fighting Cloud. Cloud noticed it too in fact if he didn't know any better...he'd say Sephiroth had been taking lessons from Tifa. Albeit his style didn't have him moving around or using his legs quite as much.But the similarity in the punch patterns and the way he defended was uncanny. Had he just picked it up watching her?

Suddenly the fight turned in Sephiroths favor as he caught Clouds fist and yanked downwards slugging him hard with his other hand. He released Cloud's fist and brought the same hand up to uppercut him knocking Cloud on his back. Zack cut in right there picking up right where Cloud had left off with a pounding flurry of attacks and suddenly Sephiroth seemed helpless again. He got a few hits in but not enough they were wearing him down and Aeris was still somewhere...just watching by now the Turks had retreated to their helicopter as per their orders which was taking off...right about now.

It hovered nearby "YO! Common!" Reno called out Hanging out the side of the chopper as a rope ladder was tossed down by Rude.

"That's our ride." Zack said he ducked one of Sephiroths punches and countered with a hard left hook that sent him reeling. All the time he needed He recollected the Buster and started up the rope ladder "CLOUD!"

Cloud hesitated...but he followed there wasn't much he could do alone against Sephiroth without a weapon of his own.Besides even if he somehow defeated Sephiroth he still would've had to deal with the countless others around which now that he surveyed the damage looked pretty hopeless.

his suddenly remembered..."Yuffie! We have to find her...she's down there somewhere."

"wha?..." Reno started

"Yuffie! you know...kinda short...thin, loud...ninja? wound up tied to a mountain?" Cloud tried

"tied to a...OH!" Reno suddenly remembered the whole incident with Don Corneo.

"right right...the girl who got captured with Elena...Rude you remember that right?" Reno looked toward Rude who just nodded

"Hey...she was kinda cute too..." Reno was about to say something else when he caught the look Cloud was giving him "oooooooh I get it...sorry man I didn't know" He held up his hands in defense.

"forget it...just help me find her."

Sephiroth fumed quietly over his enemies escape and what essientally amounted to a beating despite whatever attacks he got in. He angrily picked up Masamune and moved back to where Aeris was still blubering and stared at her like she was a little more than a ignorant animal that had failed it's master.

The battle in Wutai seemed meanigless now as thoughts of what he could do to her for sitting there and doing nothing went through his head.

She looked up at him once saw the look in his eyes and looked away...she knew she had messed up but her mind was still reeling Zack...was alive. It shouldn't be possible. but there he was just as he had been before he'd left on that mission...

"Woman...get up. we're going to take control of the situation here." He said finally turning his back to her deciding he'd maim her later there were still more important things to worry about. and he was wasting precious time. Cloud could still ruin things...Or now even Zack.

He cut his way through countless imbeciles who got in his way and now Aeris found he ability to fight return to her as well spinning the bladed staff around impaling one after another on the ends.

"There" Sephiroth pointed. It was the pagoda and on top of it Yuffie was fighting with a small group and obviously winning.

"Get her and maybe I'll forget about you freezing up earlier." He told her.

Aeris gave a nod and took off for the pagoda in a hurry she did NOT want to know what sort of punishment he was thinking of.

Yuffie buried an elbow in the gut of one man and spun around leaping on his back as he doubled over tossing her shurikan into another then dove forward to retrieve it rolling along coming to a stop with a sweep that caught another two men off guard. A woman leapt over their falling bodies and she shot her shurikan upward to catch her but...he was deflected and dug into the roof beside her.

A moment later she gasped as she realised who had just smacked her shurkan away.

"Aeris..."Yuffie hurridly snatched up the Shurikian and scrambled back a ways.

"Yuffie...Sorry but it your turn to die."

Yuffies eyes narrowed and she tossed the shurikan with great force at Aeris who stepped to the side smacking it away with her staff for good measure.

Aeris charged in while Yuffie followed he path of the shurikan simultaneously tracking Aeris and it.

Aeris thrust her staff forward and Yuffie back flipped just in time and caught the Shurikan as it's path curved around to her location she quickly tossed it again while she was still in the air catching Aeris slightly off guard but she managed to get her staff up in time to block it. It dug in a little and stayed in the staff but before Aeris could move again Yuffie had already assailed her again leaping in she dug her foot into Aeris stomach and flipped off snagging her Shurikan as she did and managing to kick Aeris again as she fliped. forcing Aeris to stumble back a bit.

"What's the matter? I thought you said it was my turn to die, am I too fast for you?" Yuffie taunted

Aeris gritt her teeth and ran in again. Yuffie readied herself deciding throwing the Shurikan again would be a bad idea since she wouldn't have gotten it back had she not been so quick...the same trick wouldn't work twice. Aeris staff came down hard as Yuffie held up her shurikan to block she felt herself almost buckle at the initial impact then Aeris surprised her by instead of entering a power struggle as she tried to force her back. Instead Aeris spun away letting the sudden lack of pressure throw yuffie off balance and as she went forward Aeris spinning staff smacked her in the back of the head.

Yuffie hit the ground like a ton of bricks had just fallen on her, out cold.

"hm...that was rather sad..." Aeris commented "You had me for a moment there...but now...it's all over." She was completly oblivious to the helicopter coming over the other side of the pagoda. But Sephiroth wasn't "CLOUD!" He groled and launched himself upwards a bit late as Cloud was already coming down Aeirs looked up, spotted him, and leapt back as he hit the ground where she had been standing his eyes growing darker than before his fist clenched "What...what have you done?!" He demanded

"Oh relax Cloud...She's not dead yet. I was just getting to that part." Aeris said casually spinning her staff in front of her and setting her gaze on him.

"This won't be like before you won't simply stab me in the back like last time...this time you'll have to fight!" Cloud took a fighting stance as Zack landed behind him "Hey...it looks like she's got head trauma...we'll have to take care of her quick. I can't be sure how serious it is."

Cloud nodded. "Then we'll get her out of-" WHUMP Sephiroth's boot connected to Cloud's chin and Masamune gleamed as he swung as the disoriented and off balance Cloud, who tried to adjust and figure out what just hit him. One would think Cloud would've been the intended target but Sephiroth wanted him to suffer more and now he knew of something Cloud cared about...and as he had said before he would take what Cloud cared for most away from him just to see him suffer. Sephiroth turned his sword was directed at Yuffie .Zack realised what he was up to and in an instant his sword met with Masamune.

Sephiroth pushed off sending Zack back a step and whirled around to face Cloud again. who was already in mid swing though this time Aeris found the ability to fight and his arm was grabbed. "Don't forget about me." She reminded him as his eyes widened at the realisation she could probably kill him right now.

"You should remember US!" another voice called out. Reno, and Rude had joined the fight. Aeris was forced to release Cloud to avoid them.

Sephiroth and Aeris fought hard against the odds as Cloud starting using his powers the jagged edged blade formed in his hands again. Sephiroth wasn't fighting this fight to win however he was fighting to keep them from getting to and helping Yuffie and inflicting extra injury to her if at all possible.

"Cloud...we can't keep this going who knows what'll happen to Yuffie...we need to get her treated NOW." Zack spoke up.

"I know." Cloud replied and rushed Sephiroth Reno and Rude cut off Aeris while Zack followed behind Cloud when Cloud and Sephiroth locked blades Zack went past them and scooped up Yuffie. "I got her! let's go!"

just like that they cleared out Cloud was the last one hanging around hesistant to leave his hated enemy alive but he couldn't leave the woman who loved him to fend for herself either. with disgusted grunt he too retreated leaving behind a furious Sephiroth.

"Like it'd be that easy?!" Sephiroth yelled a crackling red aura encirling his arm as he unleashed a volley of fire spells into the air after them the helicopter was hit but not so damaged by the flame to knock it out of the sky.

Aeris shook her head "flame? is that all you ever come up with? fire and more fire?" she shifted her staff into one hand her now free hand raised into the air when she brought it down lightning shot down from the sky arcing in the direction she commanded striking the helicopter once more while those inside were reduced to mostly watching helplessly as their ride shorted out.

"Damn Sephiroth...I should have known he wouldn't be content to simply have us retreat.." Cloud muttered

"How bad is the damage?" Zack asked quickly

"I should be able to get us at least as far as the shore near Rocket Town. But we CANNOT TAKE ANOTHER HIT LIKE THAT!" Tseng yelled back

Cloud was already leaning out looking back and saw Aeris and Sephiroth both preparing another volley.

"I'll take care of it." Cloud said quickly

"What? how? CLOUD?!" Zack hurried to where Cloud was just as he leapt out. His body changed quickly as the wings he'd been hiding revealed themselves and he swooped up behind the helicopter just in time to put up a barrier between it and the incoming spells.

Sephiroth stopped cold as he realised Cloud had transformed. "No...this...this...how could this happen!?"

Aeris looked over at him confused she couldn't possibly understand what this meant.

" what's the problem? he just sprouted some wings..." Aeris remarked

"Idiot...if he's doing that then he's using the power of Jenova that's in his blood." Sephiroth shook his head. "This is a complete disaster...in his state he could wind up doing something far worse than what I did at Nibelham and it'll be _our_ people that suffer."

Aeris stared back at a loss for words "Cloud...? create a disaster?" The very idea was so foreign to her it just didn't register Cloud was supposed to be the HERO he couldn't...

Her train of thought stopped suddenly as she realised the same was true of the man she was standing next to he was supposed to be the hero once...and look what happened to him. "I see." She stated finally. Cloud so far had made no move to come after them but merely made sure that his freinds got away ok. He turned to check if they were still in sight and Sephiroth saw what he needed.

"Lets go. Now" He yanked Aeris off the roof of the pagoda and quickly made sure they were out of sight.

Aeris barely had time to get out a "wha?" by time he stopped.

"We cannot fight him now my powers haven't fully returned to me and even if they had the last time he tapped into that power he defeated me. Now he's using all of it...it's still too soon. He wasn't supposed to be able to transform yet..."

"Sephiroth..what are you talking about?" Aeris demanded but he ignored her.

"We're going back to Midgar." He said after awhile

"What? but...what about Wutai?"

"we'll wait for this chaos to decide itself then return to it later. as it is now we wouldn't be able to take control without having to slaughter who knows how many of our own simply because they want to challenge our authority."

A deafening boom resounded in the area and the pagoda was suddenly without it's upper half.

"He's noticed we're missing...come along...we don't have much time to waste."

Cloud went on the rampage destroying everything in sight "SEPHIROTH!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!" He screamed as he destroyed more and more frantically searching for his hated foe.

But Sephiroth and Aeris had already gone his blind destruction only served to better cover their exit.they had flown low over the waters right after he'd detroyed a large building near them and used the resulting cloud of smoke and dust to go unnoticed.

Finally Cloud tired himself out and with a little less than half of wutai left standing. He stopped and looked around and it didn't occur to him what he'd done untill he landed on the ground and started to walk. That's when he noticed it...the stares everyone that could was clearly hiding from him. Jenovan or not.

All the guilt hit him like a lone person in the way of Meteor when he saw a pair of children looking for their parents lost confused terrified...and then they saw him both at the same time he stopped and met their stares. looking them over he noticed one of the two was partially transformed a few obviously inhuman features were the elongated ears and eyes that glowed like a animals in the night.

what surprised him though was that the one who had transformed was the one who looked more terrified of him. Neither of them moved or spoke...aside from their slight trembling one might have thought they'd died of sheer fear.

Cloud took one step towards them and both moved back at least 3 steps.

he took another and both backed up again though this time into a wall of debris.

"s.s...Stay away!" the smaller one yelled. "y...you did enough alrady right? so just go away!" He yelled his eyes were shut tight though as he yelled almost as if he hoped not being able to see Cloud would make things better somehow.

Cloud stopped then walked toward them again both simply waited for whatever was coming to them to their surprise Cloud stopped right in front of them knelt slightly and spoke. "Yeah...I did enough...I'm sorry."

"sorry?.." the second slightly taller boy questioned his glowing eyes set on Cloud and before Cloud knew it he was sitting flat on his ass.

"Sorry is all you can say?! You look at what you did! even I know not to do something like this with my power!"

Cloud snapped for a moment snatching the kid who'd hit him by the neck and holding him in the air "Why you little...monster...how dare you tell ME what I'm not supposed to do?! You are nothing but the spawn of some monster not even from this planet!"

the boy couldn't respond Cloud's grip was too tight and he was choking.

"Hey! let him go! please! you said you'd done enough so let him go!" The younger one pleaded pounding on Clouds chest with his fists and having no effect.

"why do you care what happens to him?" Cloud asked looking down at the boy.

"because he's my brother! you already made it so we're alone out here! do you want to take him from me too? do you like making people suffer?!"

Cloud was taken aback though for amoment it looked like he was grinning then suddenly everything shifted and he screamed out "NO!" and tossed the boy aside a little harder than he'd intended to he wound up staggering slightly clutching his head as he battled against the darkness that had awoken inside him.

"NOO! I won't be like him! I WON'T!" He screamed finding a wall to lean on "I won't be another...SEPHIROTH!" he screamed and bashed his own head into the wall the pain seemed to make it easier to get a hold of himself to seperate the real him from his other self.

The children saw their oppertunity and got the hell out of there. Cloud after having his 'episode' torn a piece of his sleeve and bandaged his forehead. Then headed off to meet back up with the others.

Along the way his thoughts stayed on the events in Wutai...just what had happened to him back there? "maybe that's what it felt like for Sephiroth..." he muttered.

_'no..it was worse for him you had it easy you didn't know anyone there nor did you feel betrayed you only felt hatred, hatred for Sephiroth and he wasn't even there and you slaughtered them because YOU let him escape.' _the voice in his head answered without being asked adding a chuckle.

"Damn you! SHUT UP!" Cloud yelled he was now over open sea so no one saw this obvious outburst of insanity not that he'd have cared much if they did.

_"If such a simple truth draws such a reaction...I can't wait to tell you what we really are."_

Cloud came to a complete stop and almost dropped out of the sky. "what...the hell...do you mean? what else don't I know?!"

"_all in due time..."_

"damn you...what if I decided to kill us? huh? what if I just died right now?" Cloud questioned he was tired of being in the dark and if something horrible was going to happen because of him...well...he'd stop it. One way or another.

_"you wouldn't becuase then Sephiroth would get away with doing whatever he likes and I know you won't allow that."_

It was silent after that as Cloud seemed to be honestly considering whether it was worth it to keep putting up with this. Never had he felt such conflicted feelings it was always straightforward for him but now nothing made sense, the world was in chaos and his own mind couldn't even be trusted.

Though the only thing he was sure of the one fact that had kept his mind straight and him sane for every minute beyond when he'd learned Sephiroth was still alive and that was. Sephiroth must be destroyed.

He took off again headed for the last spot he remembered seeing the helicopter.

He landed at the shore and walked the rest of the way it became apparent that they had started losing it as a few parts were scattered in almost a trail he followed for about an hour before he spotted the downed chopper. It was dark so they wouldn't have gone too far. Sure enough he spotted the smoke from a camp fire and made his way to it deciding to fly in from there he landed quietly though Zack noticed him immediately. At first he'd thought it a monster from the large dark wings but when he looked more clearly he realised it was Cloud.

"Cloud..." He muttered "So...I wasn't seeing things...just..what happened to you? is this something Shin Ra did? did they recapture you after..."

"No...it wasn't Shin Ra...well actually..it probably was. But they didn't cause this transformation...Sephiroth did somehow. Just like all those people."

"Whoa wait...you're telling me the people we've been hearing about turning into monsters...aren't actually monsters?" Zack questioned

"Not...exactly...in a way yes. Everyone who has transformed has a significant build up of Jenova's cells in their body and now the cells are multiplying rapidly and changing their bodies...but their minds are still the same they're the same people."

"My god...then...we've been...killing people..." Zack was dumbstruck and had there not been a solid tree behind him he'd have probably fallen over.

Cloud looked over at him "What?"

"Reno Rude and I...we were under orders to take down these monster outbreaks...the people in the towns didn't say anything about this...hell they cheered after every mission...if those...were people conscious of their lives and actions..."

"Zack..you couldn't have known...many of them lose the ability to speak when they're enraged. their new form does seem to have some will of it's own..but it can be overcome surprisingly easily as long as you keep your emotions in check."

"This...new form it got any fancy abilities or is it all for show?" Reno questioned from behind him.

"Well I haven't really explored it much...but for one...that barrier back there that saved all your asses definately wasn't from materia...I don't have any on me." He knew better than to tell them about what had happened at Wutai. He had enough problems as it is.

"if what you say is true...then you yourself would be dangerous in a situation that provokes you." Tseng cut in

"Extremely" Rude added.

"Hey hey guys...this is Cloud we're talking about here...and he just saved our lives" Zack spoke up.

"No..they're right...I'm dangerous if I'm riled...I might lose control it's like a voice in the back of my head trying to get me to do things. I can only promise two things to you all. 1st. No matter happens Yuffie will not ever be harmed so there's no need for you to be concerned about me being a danger to her. 2nd When there is conflict between myself and that voice it will be rather apparent, If I bug out for no reason usually clutching my head hitting something...etc. pretty much anything that would make me look absolutely insane, expect trouble to follow. Though if I randomly yell at nothing it's safe to ignore that...it's so irritating sometimes that I say something out loud."

Before anyone could comment Yuffie who had been resting peacefully beside the fire awoke and saw Cloud.

"Cloud...? is that...really you? or am I dreaming again?" She questioned as he turned around at the sound of her voice.

"Yes Yuffie...I'm here...sorry I took so long." he replied kneeling down beside her as she sat up. "How're you feeling?"

"mmn...I've been better...that so called 'landing' wasn't exactly kind either..but i guess that's why they call it a crash...and I guess now you know why I hate flying"

Clod placed a kiss on her cheek "Sorry bout that...if I hadn't lingered I could've just carried you somewhere..."

"No...it's fine it's nice to have people around...since..." she trailed off.

"Since what?" Zack asked suddenly reminding them they weren't alone.

"uh...nothing.." Yuffie replied..honestly she couldn't remember much of it herself..Cloud was the only one there who knew the whole truth of what happened...she still didn't know what happened that night when she'd seen Vincent and Cloud transformed for the first time.

"That reminds me...where's the rest of those freinds of yours?" Reno asked

It was silent for a moment. "You had an issue...and something happened with this new form of yours didn't it?" Tseng always the perceptive one.

"If you want to know what happened...you'd have to ask _him_." Cloud replied a half truth because he knew most of what happened though there were gaps he needed filled in.

"I see...so you do not know the actions that you take when you lose control?" Tseng continued his questioning.

"No not exaclty...I'm only vaugely aware of whats going on. I couldn't tell you what was said or why anything happened. I'd let you talk to him but as I said before...that'd be dangerous it's destructive by nature though my love for Yuffie remains even when he's in control..she's the only one who could safely have a conversation with him."

"I see...tell me why is it you've chosen to view it as a seperate person rather than a part of you?"

"Because that's just what he is...a different person...a completly different person..hidden somewhere in my mind untill now. a totally different personality way of thinking and completly different views of everyone around me...except her..." He said motioning to Yuffie "she's my anchor."

Yuffie blushed slightly looking down shyly as she could feel all eyes shift towards her for a moment.

"...so how long has this thing between you two been going on...? Last time I saw of you she was just some thief that had stolen your materia and wasn't Tifa the one that was into you anyway?" Reno questioned

Now it was Cloud's turn to look down...so much had happened between the them, in what by comparison to the span of time they'd known each other, was realatively quickly.

"It's a long story..."

"we've got nothing but time." Reno replied.

"Please Cloud...I'd like to know everything...especially why Aeris was with Sephiroth."

Cloud sighed "fine..." he recounted the whole story well as much as he could. From his discovering Tifa was taken to his near death at the hands of Aeris how she'd been ressurected by Jenova tainted, changed. He told them how Tifa had returned unexpectedly and how she had seemed to return changed...different somehow then her rage that she showed when she discovered the relationship between Yuffie and himself and how she'd attacked them and how Sephiroth and others had observed the spectacle. but he still skipped what happened on the highwind that night...instead skipping ahead to their arrival in Wutai and thus where they were now.

"hmm...this is way bigger than any of us thought..." Tseng commented after Cloud had finished.

Zack stood up "Well...at least now I know where we need to go."

"huh?" Reno looked at him curiously.

"Isn't it obvious? they're based in Midgar...so that's where we're going." Zack replied.

"Is that wise? we have no idea if they're still there...in the past Sephiroth has never been one to remain in one place for too long. Also it's likely that something nasty is waiting there for anyone who eventually figured out where to go." Tseng spoke

"He won't move now...not after he's made his move I know him...he'll be waiting for us now and now that we know the situation..I'd say it's also safe to say he'll have an army waiting for us too. " Zack answered.

"well I say we bring out our own army." Reno said with a smirk

"what?" Cloud said at a bit of a loss.

"Hey did you forget? We're Shinra our army might not be what it used to be...but our technology's better than ever. They can put up a fight." Reno told him. Just then all of the turks got calls at the same time.

"uh oh...somethings going down." Reno muttered he ignored it and let Tseng handle the call since they were all in the same place.

Tseng casually answered the phone "Sir?"

His eyes betrayed surprise at first but he quickly regained his composure. "Understood. But...our ride was shot down we'll need transportation to have any hope of getting there in time to help." He was silent for a moment as he listened

"Sir there's one other thing you should know, Cloud and one of his freinds are with us." Again silence

"I understand" He hung up.

"What's going on?" Zack asked

"That was Reeve, turns out we've got another problem to deal with before we can go getting any help from the company." Tseng answered

"What? what could be more pressing than what we're dealing with?!" Zack was a little ticked.

"well...it seems the late Rufus Shinra wasn't quite as dead as we thought he was."

"WHAT?!" everyone turned to him at the same time. Even Cloud who recalled the incident with the weapon that had destroyed the Shinra HQ.

"He's come back to reclaim his company the troops are divided it's the very definition of a hostile take over and blood is being spilled right now.We are to go to Rocket Town and meet a chopper there that'll take us back to Shinra HQ to join the battle." Tseng told them.

"There's no way I'm letting Rufus get control of Shinra again...the way he does things...it's dispicable." Cloud stated standing up.

"eh? That's odd...he was a nice kid last I saw of him...what happened?" Zack asked

"He was exiled for years...old man Shinra thought he was too soft so he sent him away to toughen up cut off most of his funds too when Sephiroth put a sword in the old man though...the kid came back with a vengance it's depressing to work for a guy who's only a little older than you but is the head of a entire company while you just do all the dirty stuff people never know about." Reno told him.

"So Rufus came back and everything went to hell...but what happened after that?" Zack asked trying to get the point where everyone thought he was dead.

"Weapon."Cloud said simply

"Weapon?" Zack repeated

"Yes...weapons created by the planet, monsters of extraordinary power, They came from seemingly nowhere...and attacked everything that was harmful to the planet. mostly that was Shinra's machines but alot of innocent people were in the way of those monsters and the machines...Diamond Weapon attacked Midgar directly after they'd moved the Junon Cannon to midgar and powered it with the mako generators as a defense...it worked against diamond but it managed to shoot back before it died landing a bullseye on the tower with every important Shinra executive aside from Reeve inside. Rufus would have been on the top floor. It was assumed there's no way he could've survived...but we didn't find the body." Tseng informed him.

"Sounds like you guys had one hell of a time..." Zack said as the information sank in.

"Yeah..but what about you? I mean..how're you even..." Cloud was cut off

"Alive? Yeah I know...it's weird for me too turns out Shinra wasn't about to let a first class SOLDIER just up and die without getting as much out of him as possible. afterall there were virtually none of us left...my body was taken to some lab and they kept me alive in a comatose state, Only now they brought me back apparently Reeve discovered the project recently seems that untill a little while ago I was all but forgotten in the basement of some lab with nothing but automated machines keeping me alive. Had anything gone wrong or something shut down. I wouldn't be here right now. But anyways Reeve found out about it and had me recessitated to help deal with these new problems since you guys all split up and he had no idea how to find you guys."

"Were there any others?" Cloud asked

Zack shook his head "not like me not any that survived anyway. I was the only one put in that place to come back and believe me I wasn't at all happy when I realised I was in yet another Shinra lab." Zack commented

"yeah...took three squads just to slow him down enough that he'd listen to anything anyone had to say. Reeve himself was the one who finally calmed him down." Reno added

"I thought it was odd one of the suits would hang around but at the time I just saw him as a oppertunity 20 minutes and a hostage situation later...he'd explained everything to me and I pretty much felt like an ass." Zack said laughing then added "I wouldn't have believed him if he hadn't mentioned your name Cloud. That and he mentioned Aeris...and then the last push was when he mentioned Tifa...he told me what had happened to everyone and once we got outside and I saw that statue dedicated to AVALANCHE I believed him."

Cloud looked puzzled "there's a statue? Dedicated...to...us..?"

"Yeah...Reeve thought it fitting you guys get some credit, though very few people actually know what Avalanche is or who the members are, most think you're some kind of secret Shinra group...there's also a monument to the people who died in Sector 7." Reno informed him.

"Wow...guess I missed alot on my little vacation." Cloud muttered

"Now that we've got all that out of the way...can we get moving? If we waste our time around here Shinra will rip itself apart along with any decent chance of getting to Sephiroth we might have had."

"Right...let's go" Cloud replied. As Yuffie stood up beside him.

"well this'll be different...fighting on the same side this time...ever imagine you'd help Shinra?" Reno asked him as they started packing up what gear they had.

"No...but I knew it was a possibility as long as Reeve had control of things.He's a good man and I respect him so I consider myself helping him, not Shinra."

"Hah serious as always eh Cloud?" Zack commented.

"If everyone's done chit chatting and packed up let's go" Tseng ordered. Cloud felt odd take orders from him it didn't feel right made him feel like a Turk...but Zack was there so it wasn't all bad. Silently they started for the new Shinra HQ.

End Chapter 8

yeah I know I took forever...sorry

I bet you're all wondering what happened with Yuffie...and where most of the others are...but all in due time...all in due time..

Next Chapter- Chapter 9- Whose sword is it anyway?


	9. Whose sword is it anyway?

Awakening Chapter 9-Whose Sword is it Anyway?

Cloud,Zack and the others were making their way to Rocket town as Cloud decided to finally bring up a subject that had been bothering him.

"So...I'm going to need a new sword." He spoke up fairly randomly it was surprising that he'd been the one to speak up and Zack was the first to say something.

"You mean to tell me...you've been relying on this old thing all this time?" Zack said in wonder holding up his sword.

"...yeah...I couldn't just get rid of it. So I kept it...as a reminder of why I'm still alive, I used it against Shinra against these guys...against Sephiroth...and now I've returned it to you. Everythings different now...I don't need a sword of vengance anymore. I need a new one."

"Hm...seems this sword has seen alot without me..." Zack said idly as he looked up and down the blade only now noting it's notable damages and the need to resharpen and repair it.

"this old sword..." Zack looked at it oddly serious for once.

"You're right...we don't need a sword of vengance...this sword has seen enough bloodshed. I need a new one too." Zack told him

"Huh?" Cloud was confused

"This sword...it's seen it's share of owners. It seems to have a way of finding people in need of vengance...It's a sword that has found it's way from master to son to freind to countless others. This sword wasn't made for me you know...I picked it up much like you probably did. For revenge after Wutai killed my commander he was a giant of a man and he wielded this sword like it was a paper weight. He died in an ambush one that _I_ had been dumb enough to step into he came in out of nowhere fought them all single handedly while I lay wounded. He never saw that last one come out of the shadows though...before I could even say anything he was gone...they left me to die. alone and bleeding covered in my commanders blood...But I got up picked up his sword and made my way back mastered it and from then on fought in the war against Wutai with all my might...that's how I got promoted to first class...with this sword to guide me I took revenge on countless others and then...it fell to you Cloud and you used it to take down Shinra...how ironic...this sword brought down both of the worlds 'superpowers' with only a man with a vendetta behind it."

It was silent for awhile then Zack suddenly shoved the sword into Clouds hands "Here you keep it."

"Wha?" Cloud looked back at him rather puzzled.

"No you take it it's yours!" Cloud protested placing it back in Zack's hands.

"I said you take it!" Zack tried to push it back to Cloud

"I said I don't need it anymore!" Cloud replied

"and I said you keep it!" Zack said

"You just want an excuse to buy a new sword!" Cloud retorted

"what?! you're kidding me! that's what YOU'RE doing isn't it?" Zack replied

"NO! I just want to give you your damn sword back now take it!" Cloud said

"Fine..it's mine so I decide what happens to it..." Zack said taking it.

"Finally..." Cloud said with a sigh

"And I decide you'll take care of it for me." Zack replied putting it in Clouds hands.

Cloud sighed "Alright...I'll just sell it." Cloud said with a smirk

"WHAAAAAT?! Gimmie that!" Zack shouted snatching it from Cloud "you can't SELL this!"

"AHA! see! you took it back! it's yours!" Cloud said triumphantly.

"I...uh...gah! YOU TRICKED ME!" Zack yelled. "Besides no one would buy a busted sword like this anyway!"

Up ahead Yuffie merely shook her head as she walked ahead with the Turks "They're...almost like brothers."

"Yeah...they were like that before too." Reno replied

"huh?...you mean you knew both of them from before?" She asked

Reno nodded "Yeah...they were real trouble those two...we were the ones who went and got them after the whole Nibelham thing..."

"...wow...I didn't know you guys knew Cloud...you know..before the whole Avalanche thing.." Yuffie commented

"If someone doesn't mind shutting those two up...we're here." Tseng said

Cloud and Zack ceased their antics for the time being as both realised they were in town.

"hey so who's sword is it?" Reno turned and asked them seeing Zack had half of it and Cloud had the other half. they'd been in a sort of Tug'o'War...but in reverse...

Zack let go "it's his." he said pointing to Cloud.

"HEY! don't start that again! it's yours and you know it!" Cloud started

"If neither of you wants it why don't you just get rid of it?" Tseng commented rubbing his temple.

"eh?" Both Zack and Cloud said at the same time.

"You know...stash it somewhere...put it in a display case or something whatever...that way it's not really gone and neither of you have to use it if you don't want to." Tseng explained

"Heeeey now that's an idea!" Zack said "I'll go along with that...but where Could we possibly put it?"

Cloud lit up "I know where..."

"Cloud...you aren't thinking what I think you are...are you?" Yuffie groaned.

"What? He's not a bad guy...a little overbearing but he'd be glad to take care of it.." Cloud said.

"Uh...just who is this guy we're talking about?" Zack cut in

"Dio. The owner of Gold Saucer he's got a collection of weapons and such calls it his "Battle Musem" or something...I'm sure he'd be happy to add the sword that once killed Sephiroth and saved the world to his collection." Cloud explained. Then added "and while I'm there...I can pick up a new sword..."

"Right...so what am I supposed to use?!" Zack questioned.

"Eh...you'll find something you always do." Cloud told him with a nod.

Zack was quiet for a moment then slugged him in the shoulder and started laughing "Man you haven't changed at all...not one bit. It's good to know despite everything you've been through...the old Cloud is still in there."

Cloud nodded

"Looks like our ride's here" Yuffie said as she watched the helicopter approach.

"Just how long was that walk anyway?" Elena complained she'd been fairly quiet untill now because she was rather uncomfortable with the addition of Zack as it was but now having Cloud and Yuffie around...it was a little much for her. Even now she only spoke directly to Tseng.

"A couple hours. I'm surprised they weren't already here waiting for us...it must be bad at HQ." He replied.

An hour later they were in the air and Cloud could see Gold Saucer coming up.

"This is where I get off...I'll catch up to you guys later take care of Yuffie." Cloud said taking the Buster Sword in hand.

Zack nodded,Reno gave him a thumbs up and Rude gave his silent agreement a mere tip of his shades.

Yuffie hugged him tightly and kissed him goodbye. "You'd better not dilly dally" She said giving him a look.

He looked back at her wondering when she picked up those words but shook it off "yea yea I know...see ya!" He dove out wings spreading as he glid over to the Gold Saucer he wondered if he should try and revert to his original form as he had done before but after landing found it difficult to do much more than disguise the obvious features like his wings. Gold Saucer seemed fairly deserted...but then that figured considering there was a battle going on in the city below and in the world for that matter, just who had time to play?

Conversely it also occured to him that Gold Saucer might have been a place of evacuation considering Corel had a direct line to it via the gondola...it'd make sense for the civilians to come there to get out of the way of things then right? So where was everybody?

He wandered the various squares all of them empty untill he came to the round square and finally he found where everyone had been gathering Dio was up on the stage area trying to calm everyone a couple of actors were also on stage doing some acts to try and take everyones mind off the problems down below.

Cloud made his way over carefully looking through the crowd...no one here was changed...so he'd made a good call afterall. "Dio!" He called out trying to get his attention as he made his way toward the stage but it wasn't untill he was right up on the stage Dio saw him.

"Dio! I need a favor and it has to be quick."

"What? Not now! can't you see I'm busy?" He obviously didn't recognize Cloud.

"That's exactly why I'm here! can we talk somewhere else?...like the battle square?" Cloud suggested.

Dio shrugged and agreed "alright...but this better be good."

They exited to the battle square and Cloud led the way up toward the museum.

"The favor I need to ask of you is I need a new sword to fight with..." Cloud began

"A sword? what do you take me for a fool? you've got a perfectly good one right there!" Dio replied and then he recognized it.

"wait...that sword...you're not..." Dio started

"Yes...I am. We were the ones who got the keystone from you remember? Now I need a sword and in exchange you can put this one in your museum, the sword that defeated Sephiroth and saved the world the same sword that once belonged to SOLDIER first class Zack and came to be in my possesion after...an...incident...I'll let you have it to be put on display if you can get me a sword...and agree never to let it leave this museum for any reason other than myself or Zack coming to get it."

"Hmm..." Dio thought for a moment or rather pretended to in his mind he'd already been sold at "the sword that defeated Sephiroth"

"Alright kid you got a deal. But I don't have anything here in the museum quite up to snuff with a sword like that...come with me."

Dio led the way back to his private office. Inside he pushed a button and the back wall receeded revealing a secret room lined with weapons rows and rows of them all on racks and on the walls. All of them polished gleaming like they were completed no more than an hour ago. "This is where I keep the creme of the crop...the real good stuff legendary weapons of legendary warriors and weapons made by master smiths many of these have only seen little use if any at all. You'll find none worn down and everything is in tip top condition Take your pick of anything here and I'll take that sword off your hands...uh you don't mind if I restore it right?"

Cloud shook his head "No go ahead you can do what you like with it as long as it stays in one piece and safe here...it means alot though it's lost it's usefulness"

"I see...in that case I think I know just the sword for you..." Dio wandered back into the room to one rather large sword not quite as large as the Buster but damn close. It was by itself which was the one thing Cloud noticed immediately.

"This sword...is made of _pure_ Mythril it'd take even you a thousand years to wear this down. I heard once that Sephiroths Masamune is made of the same stuff. Or possibly some other rare ore." Dio explained as Cloud looked at the sword with a gleam in his eyes. it was beautiful it gleamed like silver but it was strong and solid it was like something out of a childrens story it seemed so perfect.He lifted it and noticed immediately how light it felt in comparison to the buster and then what appeared to be a second hilt built into the blade...after grasping it he realised it split into two swords that could be recombined at or split at will.(If you haven't figured it out yet...it's the sword he has in Advent Children.)

"Dio...this is perfect. I don't suppose there's another one of these lying around is there?"

"Another sword? Let me guess for this Zack pal of yours?" Dio asked

"Yeah...without this...he doesn't have a sword anymore and well neither did I so it was decided rather than argue about who got to keep it we'd get rid of it and get new ones.." Cloud explained.

"Well..I suppose since you did save the world and all I can give you another...besides adding that sword to my collection more than makes up for losing any of these.." Dio replied walking around and looking for another suitable sword.

"Tell me..this freind of yours...is he like you in his taste in weapons?" Dio asked

"Yeah...like I said it was his sword to begin with." Cloud replied.

"I see...well here's just the thing then." Cloud moved over to where Dio was and spotted it. He almost drooled. It was a massive sword bigger than the buster sword even by about half a foot. The blade was a greenish color like it was made out of some kind of crystal. The hilt was black and had what appeared to be a Blue gem emedded in it.Oddly it had not one materia slot in it.

"what's with the blade itself though? what is that? some kind of crystal?" Cloud asked running a finger along the side.

"Yes...it is it's actually a fairly common one too but the amazing thing is seeing it in this form and structure...you see the sword itself is essientially one giant materia." Dio told him

"I see...so it's litterally a magic sword." Cloud stated

"Exactly."

"When was this made?"

"Sometime after meteor...so it's fairly new they say it came from some guy in cosmo canyon who found a way to make it out of some huge materia."

Cloud froze "what?! then...this is..." He trailed off.

"it's what?" Dio asked looking at him puzzled

"I'll take it." Cloud said simply.

"but what were you about to say? I'll still give it to you even if it's the most powerful sword in the universe." Dio said laughing. He had no idea how close he was.

"Alright...if I'm correct then this sword is made out of the Master Magic Materia. Which means...it would posses all of the spells from every magic type materia meaning the only types of materia you'd still need to carry around are Summons,Command types, and Support. Though...I have to wonder about the blade itself...it's made of materia...I've no idea just how resiliant materia is. How likely is it to break if it were in fierce combat with a sword like Sephiroths?" Cloud questioned

"hmmm" Dio thought a moment "I honestly cant say...from what I know the blade is designed like a diamond when pressure is put upon it, it reinforces itself but believe me when I tell you this thing has unbelievable cutting power considering it's humble origins as a materia." Dio replied.

"Mind if I test it?" Cloud asked suddenly.

"Go ahead...But what do you intend to test on?"

Cloud smirked. "Come on now Dio...you've got a battle square."

"Aha..."

They made their way to the battle square and Cloud weilded the oversized sword expertly against the monsters of the arena. Dio had been right it did cut exquisitly and it seemed to be taking the hits from the monsters attacks rather well he also thorughly tested it's ability to cast magic. He had been right it was the master materia. Or rather a significant chunk of it anyway.

As he slew the last monster Cloud turned to face Dio "Alright...one last test." He tossed Dio the Mythril sword he'd been given "Attack me with it. if this thing can hold up against that sword I'd say it's safe to assume it won't be breaking." Cloud told him

"you sure about this? I mean...if it breaks..." Dio trailed off

"If it breaks I'll probably be dead. I know" Cloud replied.

Dio took up the sword and charged Cloud prepared his defense and when the swing came he was surprised at the amount of strength Dio had the blade didn't break but it did crack.

"well...that's that...it just doesn't have the integrity to fight a battle on the level I'd need it to...much less a prolonged one." Cloud said looking at the cracked sword...though what happened next surprised him as it repaired itself and rehardened.

"what the...?" Cloud said in disbelief.

"Magic sword indeed." Dio commented

"...I..wonder..." Cloud muttered

"What?"

"When a bone breaks...it's comes back stronger...I wonder if the same is true of this sword... Dio I want you to attack again." Cloud told him. Dio gave a nod and they repeated the process it cracked again not as severly but it was cracked just the same.

"Hmm...I have one more idea." Cloud said "It seems to have gotten a little stronger...but it's not strong enough to withstand repeated hits yet...I'm going to try something and see if that helps it a bit." Cloud said

Dio looked on ever curious as Cloud cast Regen and Barrier but not on himself on the sword. Which was only possible because of it's semi sentient state being materia and all.

"ah..I see...because materia is semi alive you're using Regen to speed up it's strengthening process...and Barrier to reduce the damage to a managable point...ingenius." Dio said

"Actually...it's something I remembered Zack saying once about how he wished he could cast those two spells on his sword so it'd save him a load of money on repairs. Now come at me once more."

Dio attacked and this time barrier reduced the attack enough that the sword didn't crack much at all and regen made sure whatever damage there was quickly vanished. "Good! keep it up! we've gotta get this thing toughened up fast!" Cloud said as they entered a mock battle designed to force the two swords to collide as much as possible the sword absorbed blow after blow slowly strengthening untill finally it no longer cracked even after Barrier and Regen had worn off.

"this is perfect...a sword that hardens after every strike..." Cloud muttered

"It'll eventually reach a maximum hardness...and from then on it'll be like a diamond immutable and unchanging for all time...when it reaches that point..it'll truly be a fearsome weapon. Even now after just one session it's withstanding the blows from a Mythril sword...it's amazing." Dio stated

"Yes...it really is...just goes to show how little we really understand materia...it grows and reproduces itself but it's not exactly alive...not quite sentient but it does learn somehow...and somehow I get the feeling this sword is learning too. Thanks alot Dio...but I've got to get going now there's a battle going on and everyones waiting on me."

"Right...you go get em. I look forward to hearing of you doing great things with those swords." Dio said driving the other sword into the ground.

Cloud nodded and started off picking up the sword as he passed. He took to the sky with the pair of massive swords in hand silently debating which sword to give to Zack...both swords were incredible.

He found the battle ground easily enough. But the problem would be finding the others. He discovered that the transformed people he'd been looking for were apparently in Rufu's half of the army. He wondered why that was...it didn't take long to find the reason as he spotted what looked like Rufus but he was half transformed the entire left side of his body was changed by the right remained human.how such a transformation was possible Cloud didn't know nor was he all that interested in it what he was interested in however was the fact that his freinds were no where in sight. Prehaps Reeve was keeping them back as an ace in the hole...as last resort but the way things looked out there it was more than time to send them out...unless...he had some sort of plan.

No sooner had the thought occured to him did the Turks come rushing out of the main building like a pack of wild animals Reno and Rude always with a flair for the dramatic came out of windows Elena and Tseng came out the doors in their dignified, classy swagger. and Zack...Zack was the idiot jumping off one of the balcony's.

Elena and Tseng broke out good old fashioned guns to take care of business, Reno and Rude went to the usual business of busting heads. Zack Landed on a pair of unfortunates the first caught his boot in the face and the force drove him back through the second. as Zack Flipped backwards off him and began to go at them Hand to hand. Yuffie was nowhere in sight.

Now Cloud dove down like a whirlwind of death spiraling through their enemies as both swords cut through them like paper. He drew the attention of the others immediately.

"CLOUD!" Zack called out. as he floored another opponent "good to see you made it."

"Zack catch!" He tossed the lighter of the two swords through the air which just happened to be the Mythril one.

Zack jumped up using another soldier as a spring board and snagged the sword and was surprised at it's lightness despite it's size. Zack spun around as he landed slicing through at least 5 people.

"Thanks for the sword pal!" Zack called out as he went to work.

Yuffie made herself known with a series of Shurikan attacks from the balcony's

"Fall back! I'm going to let a couple big spells loose!" Cloud warned Taking to the air again as one of Yuffie's shurikan attacks whizzed past his head.

"Flare!" He called forth the large firball in the sky and it's explosive power pretty much vaporized a number of the enemies troops. Though some of their own weren't quite able to get away from the blast. Now he had Rufus' attention and he leapt up at Cloud like a raging bull "YOU!"

Cloud spun the sword "BOLT3!" the massive bolt of lightning shot out from the sword driving Rufus back into the ground.

But he was up again quickly as he pushed himself back up and leapt into the air Cloud repeated his earlier move but this time Rufus was ready "REFLECT!"

The spell bounced back and slammed into Cloud knocking him out of the sky in a stunned daze.

"My turn to unleash some destruction! Fire3!" The flames enveloped Cloud like he was covered in oil turning him into a rapidly falling fireball. He regained his composure and his wings Flared as he suddenly shot upwards again and the flames went out.

"You...are going to pay for that." Cloud said darkly the aura had returned to him as had the dark turquoise returned to his eyes his left arm became the bladelike wing like it had the first time he transformed. while his right still held the Master Materia Blade.

Rufus stared back in slight shock. "what the hell have you become?"

"...The Demon who'll bring an end to this..." the voice was no longer Cloud's it was someone else entirely.

"Demon...huh? that's fitting...but the title of Devil is mine...I'm the one who'll bring in the new era...Not you..." Rufus told him and stared a charge his arm morphed into a two pronged blade (think like Kadaj's sword.But with the blades spaced out a bit more...and connected to his arm instead of having a hilt..)

Cloud met the charge with his sword deflecting the attack downward as he brought up his 'wing' to finish the job but Rufus wouldn't go down so easily as he spun away and met the wing blade with his own blades. "Did you really think it'd be that easy?"

"Honestly? Yes" Cloud replied pushing him back Dragging the materia blade along the ground he swung it in a wide arc upwards which expectedly Rufus dodged and countered with his own thrust met by the wing it was now Rufus played his hand and his other arm pulled out his shotgun at this range there wasn't anywhere for Cloud to go except one. Down. He fell back and managed to get under the barrel just as the gun went off.

he rolled back as the gun went off a second time Rufus had quickly redirected his attack and now he pursued Cloud with his blade slashing downward Cloud took to the air to get away from the rapid assault.He had underestimated Rufus a mistake he wouldn't make again.

He rushed Rufus quickly and dodged the rounds that were fired at him when his sword connected with Rufus' they his sword of a standstil as Rufus moved to bring up his gun Cloud's other arm Sliced through it and found it's way into Rufus' chest. "Looks like it's over for you this time." Cloud said darkly.

"...u...un...unbelieveable." Rufus sputtered as he stumbled back. He decided if he was going to die he was going to at least try to take Cloud with him. "This...is all your fault...without you...I wouldn't have wound up like this...everything...the world...it's all screwed up because of you!" He lunged Cloud parried it and drove his sword into Rufus chest. "it's over." he stated and took off into the air.

"The Battle is over! Rufus is dead!" He proclaimed. Everything stopped as they looked up at him and the body of Rufus as he slid Rufus' body of his sword with a push from his foot and let it fall to the ground. "mourn him if you want...but the fighting ends now." Cloud's voice was his own again. and the wing arm had returned to normal as well as the aura having faded from him.

What happened next surprised everyone Rufus' body regenerated and he got up again. "hahahahahahaaaa...this power...it's incredible...I'm immortal! THIS This is how a leader of Shinra should be...POWERFUL not simply because of his money or the number of fools he's convinced to fight for him but because he himself posses power and the ability to fight on his own without relying solely on others to protect him like a coward. That's what my father did...and now I'll do things the right way. With my own power!"

Energy built up in his arm and he unleashed it at Cloud. Cloud flew forward and spiraled around the blast and in a moment of viciousness he drove the blade into Rufus, who made no attempt to defend himself because of his newfound arrogant belief that he was immortal, and then followed up with slicing off his arm and as he fell from the sheer pain Cloud spun around and beheaded him.

"Stay down this time!" Cloud yelled and this time Rufus actually did he was really dead this time.

"Now then...do any of you care to keep fighting?!" He demanded. to which the respone was the dropping of their weapons and turning around to leave normally they'd probably have been imprisoned but there wasn't any way Shinra could've imprisoned that many people at once...especially not with their powers it would've been a bloody battle just to do that much.

"well that's taken care of...Cloud muttered to himself exhailing sharply.

"Cloud...You...wow..." The others were in absolute shock. Yuffie came down quickly and hugged him she didn't know why she did but she felt he needed it like somehow she just knew. If he didn't get that hug or some sort of reassurance that he'd done nothing wrong that something bad would happen. As expected Cloud instantly curled his arms around her.

He allowed her to lead him inside the building away from all the stares.

Zack and the others continued to watch them. "Well...what do you make of that?" Elena asked no one in particular

"I'd say...That guy has a definate dark side hidden inside him...and we just saw the tiniest piece of it." Tseng replied.

"So what happened to him exactly anyway?" Elena asked since she was the only one who didn't know. The others just looked at her then at each other as if each looking to the other for approval to tell her.

"He was an experiment...one of the last of Hojo's horrible Jenova experiments...his mind was shattered but he was able to recover...or at least I thought so...it seems he's developed a bit of a split personality probably only made worse by this transformation of his." Zack answered

"Hey...Zack you were in that experiment too...why didn't you change?" Reno asked

"my body rejected the Jenova cells I had no reaction to them whatsoever I was considered a failure because the rejection forced them to destroy the Jenova cells in order to keep me alive Hojo was coming up with some other plan for me when we escaped. I never found out what it was and I don't care to know." Zack answered.

Inside Cloud was pretty much falling apart it was like he just came unraveled as soon as they were in private. "Yuffie...I...I need to go back..."

"Go back where?" She asked suddenly concerned

"I need to go back to the mansion...in the lab...I need to know exactly what they did to me...I didn't care no...I didn't _want_ to know before...but now...it's a problem.It's...doing things to me...out there...I...I completly lost control...I have to know...I have to understand it if I'm to face them..."

"Cloud..." she stared into his eyes and saw the confusion and fear in them. "Alright...we'll go..."

End Chapter 9

Sorry short chapter but I intended to inject some comedy into this thing for awhile...and go through that sub plot that's been gnawing at me for awhile now. Oh and...you can all thank TifaValentine99 for the updates she got me talking about fics again and I decided to update these here...so be nice and go read her fics too ok? good.

Next Chapter- Chapter 10-Here comes another Sephiroth.


	10. Here comes another Sephiroth

Chapter 10- Here comes another Sephiroth.

Cloud and Yuffie parted ways with Zack and the Turks for the time being after explaining to Reeve why the needed to go so soon.

They'd arrived in Nibelham a day later and had stopped cold when they saw the destruction. The buildings were all gone there was a pile where it was apparent the bodies had been stacked and burned. The stench was unbearable.

"Oh my god...Cloud...this is horrible." Yuffie's voice came out a whisper.

Cloud's gaze looked around he seemed unphased at least on the surface in his mind he was going ballistic. 'it's...happened again...Sephiroth...what have you done?!' He thought.

Then he remembered "Vincent...Nanaki...they were here! What happened to them?!" He said suddenly

Yuffie covered her mouth at the idea that they may have been in the pile with the other bodies.

Cloud on the other hand was pretty much snapping he wound up screaming and banging his head against the ground.

Yuffie ran over to him "CLOUD! Get a hold of yourself! "

Cloud seemed to calm but when he looked up at her she backed away from him. "You're not Cloud..."

"You noticed already?...you're pretty damn perceptive. You are correct that the personality has changed..but you're wrong. I am Cloud in the truest purest form. I am what Cloud is what the Cloud you met was supposed to be...and if you excuse us...there's a basement with a wealth of information that we need to process." He said starting for what was left of the Shinra mansion.

"But what about Vincent and Nanaki?" She asked following him.

"What about them? there's nothing we can do if they're dead and if they're not they're probably nowhere near here by now just look around...this place has been burned out for at least a couple days."

Yuffie followed him all the way to the hole that led to the basement level the stairs were fairly intact give or take a few holes. Cloud led the way down and into the room. Immediately begining to go through books.

Cloud rummaged through books in the basement for hours many of which were the very same ones Sephiroth had read before. But Sephiroth hadn't read _every_ book there and there were more books there than when he'd been there the first time. Since the documentation of the experiments on Cloud and Zack. Though Sephiroth had payed the place a second visit which had been cut short by the intrusion of Cloud so he'd rewarded the puppet for being smart enough to come back there and tossed him a materia.Well more like hurled it viciously at his head for interrupting because it just happened to be in hand...

(Remember getting the shield materia?)

Days must've gone by with him obsessively reading everything and then reading it again as Yuffie looked on occassionaly either reading over his shoulder or picking up a book and reading it for herself especially the ones he seemed to take interest in after he finished reading them. She was trying to be supportive trying to help and more importantly trying to make herself understand as much as Cloud did...or would. when he got the answers he was looking for. Finally he stopped.

"I see...I understand...I...we...both of us understand." Cloud said looking over at Yuffie he hadn't forgotten her in all this and having her there meant alot to him it reminded him he wasn't alone that there was someone who cared for him...someone that mattered Sephiroth hadn't had such a luxory. However whether that fact would make much of a difference remained to be seen.

"What is it you understand?" Yuffie asked him

"...Everything...everything that has happened from Seprioth's creation..to where we are right now. It all couldn't have happened any other possible way...we were set on a path...and admittedly we managed to wander from it for awhile...but here we are now right back on track. Sephiroth and I were on a collision course from the day I was born...and there can be no end to it untill we have both fulfilled our purpose." Cloud stated

Now Yuffie was afraid now she hadn't been there but from what she'd heard both from Cloud and from Tifa. The way Cloud was talking now was dangeously close to how Sephiroth had spoken years ago in this very same spot.

"What purpose...is that?" she asked.

Cloud was silent for a moment. "Sephiroth was confused you see...his purpose was to be the beginning of a new race and now he's fulfilled that by starting the Jenovan's however. Because it happened in such a way that humanity is now threatened I am now to fulfill my purpose...to exterminate them and ensure the continued survival of humanity. Sephiroth was only supposed to at best be the beginning of an inegration a start of a bloodline that would posses and pass on superior abilities and overall improve mankind...what he has done instead is create an entirely different...seperate race that now means to take over everything. So it's up to me to stop them."

"...Cloud..." Yuffie didn't know what to say...he just told her he was going to become exactly like Sephiroth and he didn't even realise that fact.

"What..? why are you giving me that look?" Cloud asked hurt in his eyes.

"You sound just like Sephiroth and you just told me you plan to do to him and his people what he tried to do to humanity twice now...and yet look at you you _are_ like them...but you claim you're going to kill them all? Have you gone insane like he did? I wonder if learning everything at once is really something a person can bare.." She didn't look at him as she spoke she didn't want to see his reaction.

Cloud was stunned he couldn't believe not only had she compared him to Sephiroth she'd just told him he might as well have been the same as Sephiroth. Now he sat there silent as his mind processed the information and tried to draw something out of it that wouldn't completly destroy his fragile little world where the only absolute was that Sephiroth was evil.

"I...am not...like _him_...don't ever compare me to him...he is the reason this is all happening he is the one who started this not me!" Cloud shouted causing Yuffie to cringe.

"Cloud..." She didn't know what to say anymore she was afraid to push him over the edge and even more afraid that she might have to in order to have any chance of him seeing what he was becoming.

"You've become obsessed with Sephiroth just look at what's happening to you! You're sitting here in the same basement he did talking about destiny and purpose! Just because someone who was insane meddled with your body doesn't mean you have to do what they wanted!" Yuffie told him

"..."Cloud was silent again "You're wrong..I do have to do this..or everyone who doesn't fit into sephiroths plan will die. I have to face him again and I'm the only one with the power to do it. I wish I didn't have to do this Yuffie..I really do but we failed to stop him the first time...if only...if only he'd stayed dead. We could just go somewhere..together...I love you Yuffie...but I don't expect you to stand by me on this one...I only ask that after it's all over you'll be there for me...if I make it back that is..."

Yuffie turned to him "Don't talk like that! Of course you'll come back you always come back the planet swallowed you up once and you still came back! Sephiroth couldn't possibly do any worse AND to make sure I'M going with you whether you like it or not." He started to say something but she placed a finger on his lips "Don't even think about arguing with me about it I'm going that's final. Besides did you forget that he's not exactly alone this time? You won't be able to fight everyone by yourself Cloud."

Cloud stared at her then leaned forward and kissed her "you're right...I can't do this alone...I suppose I got a little caught up in things...but just because I'm supposed to face Sephiroth doesn't mean I have to do it alone...let's get everyone together.." Cloud said

"Now you sound like the Cloud I know." She said with a smile.

Tifa arrived in Wutai Only to find it in ruins. The people had divided themselves into factions as they each tried to rebuild what they claimed as their own part of Wutai. She was in awe of the destruction not because of it's scale but because of it's sheer randomness as she looked around she saw some places that looked like they'd been anihallated and others that were untouched.

"Who or what did this?" She wondered as she slowly landed near where the pagoda had been

She had been noticed already as many had been watching the skies for signs of Cloud's return. So her and what followers she still had after their enounter with Vincent and Nanaki were quickly spotted.

They were unsure how to react many stopping cold and simply watching her as she surveyed the destruction.

She placed her hand on one of the pagoda walls remembering the last time she'd been there. "Who did this?" She knew Sephiroth wouldn't have done this...it was too random there wasn't a purpose to this destruction other than lashing out. Unless...unless there'd been some sort of battle...had Cloud been there? Had he and Sephiroth caused this? And what of Aeris? If Tifa had any luck Aeris was dead somewhere...

"You! tell me what happened here." Tifa demanded pointing at one particularly stunned man.

"wha? me?...uh...s..s...something happened...people started transforming...and then everyone turned on each other...the ones who'd changed figured they would just take over...and attacked. But...somewhere in the middle of the battle foreigners appeared..."

Suddenly he had Tifa's attention "Foreigners? what sort? did one of them have silver hair? how many were there?!"

"I uh...I dunno...there were alot of them...five of them came out of a Helicopter...with some sort of machine..."

'machine..?...out of a helicopter?...' That definately wasn't Sephiroth..but who had they been?

"Describe them." She demanded

"I ...I dunno I only know the story! I wasn't actually there!" the man replied

"Well then who WAS there?!" She asked growing impatient.

"I was." A voice called from behind her she turned to see the man with the flowing hair from the first battle in Wutai. Suijin.

"and who might you be?" She asked

"I am Suijin. I was there I led the charge against these...people. I noticed you and your group and decided to come and see for my self what you were up to." He told her.

"Well well...A leader huh? Tell me what happened and maybe I'll let you keep that position." Tifa said walking toward him.

"Is that a threat?" He asked arching a brow.

"No...it's an offer now start talking." She demanded

"You obviously have no idea who you're talking to...I'm the future ruler of Wutai that's no way to show respect." Suijin replied

"No..it is YOU who have no idea who you're talking to. I am Tifa Lockheart former member of Avalanche and currently one of Jenova's chosen few. So start talking or there won't be a Wutai left for you to rule." She told him cracking her knuckles.

"Tifa...?" Suijin almost panicked he knew that name EVERYONE knew _that_ name Cloud hadn't been around so his name was a little less famous than the others but everyone knew of Tifa with Cloud gone she had sort of been shoved to the front since Barret was no good at talking in front of large groups of people besides last thing he wanted was to be famous he just wanted a quiet life after it was all over.

"Alright...I'll tell you what happened...our attack was going as planned...untill those guys showed up I'm certain they were Shinra spooks. You know one of those groups that no one ever knows exists...there was a robot in the group a guy with red hair-"

"A blonde girl and a bald guy" Tifa finished for him.

"Yeah...how'd you know?" Suijin wondered aloud

"The Turks...but what the hell were they doing here?..." Tifa was mostly talking to herself but Suijin provided an answer

"They came here for the sole purpose of interfering with Wutai and got tangled up in the battle...There were two other guys both with black hair.

"Tseng too?...they must be taking things seriously now...wait...who was the last guy?"

"I dunno...he was wearing a SOLDIER uniform though...I got knocked out after he joined in. By the time I woke up there were two other guys fighting I hadn't seen before." He answered

"Did one of them have silver hair?" She asked hopeful.

"Yes...the other was blonde and I assume the massive sword belonged to him since I didn't see it before when the other guys had first shown up." Suijin told her.

"Okay...So Cloud and Sephiroth were here...That explains it..." Tifa said looking back at the pagoda.

"Whoa whoa whoa...Sephiroth?! THE Sephiroth? that was him?" Suijin asked

"Yea...He didn't die like everyone thinks...he just...dissapeared for awhile. But...what happened to them? And..there should have been another person with him..." Tifa said looking down in thought.

"I kinda stayed outta sight but I do rememer the guy you call Cloud and the other SOLDIER fighting with Sephiroth. He seemed to be having a hard time but the Turks pulled out and the other guys went with them.I figured it was over and headed towards here to finish what I started... But next thing I knew they were fighting again on the pagoda...two other girls were involved by then one of them I'm sure now was Yuffie I'd know her anywhere everyone here is well aware of the emperors daughter...But how the hell she got back here or when I still can't figure out. The other one was carrying a staff weapon." He told her.

"I see...so Yuffie and Aeris were fighting...Then the others joined in...so that's how everything got torn up." She surmised

"Nono that's not what did it...Yuffie, she got hurt, and one of the other guys carried of to the helicopter and they retreated again but then that blonde guy...he came back and he was _flying_ he blocked the spells the girl and Sephiroth were using with some kind of barrier...next thing I knew they were gone...when he realised they got away, the blonde...he went ballistic...started smashing stuff screaming "Sephiroth where are you?" He had obviously lost it." Suijin finished.

Tifa stared at him blankly..."Cloud...did...this?" she turned to look at the destruction once again. "No...he couldn't have...how could he have this kind of power?" She was silent for a moment as she realised "Sephiroth...is this what you saved me from back then?" the "back then" she was referring to was when she had attacked Cloud and Yuffie and he'd almost snapped but Sephiroth had directed her to knock him out before it could happen.

"Thank you for your assistance...you may do what you like with Wutai...but remember that you still answer to US." Tifa informed him and took to the sky. She knew where to go now. The only question was should she go after Cloud first or find Sephiroth? Then she remembered Aeris was still with him "Gotta find Sephiroth." She decided not wanting to give Aeris any more time with him than was absolutely nessisary.

Speaking of Aeris and Sephiroth the two were just reaching Midgar and Sephiroth was in a hurry to get to Jenova he ignored everyone and everything else pushing everyone out of his way "Mother we have a problem." He said when he saw her.

"I know...Cloud has transformed hasn't he?" She replied

"Yes...this is exactly what that girl was supposed to prevent!" Sephiroth seethed. He was of course referring to Aeris, who should have killed Cloud but somehow he'd survived.

"We'll just have to wait a little while to make our move...This does not nesissarily mean it's over for us." Jenova assured him.

In cosmo Canyon Nanaki and Vincent were discussing their next course of action while they waited for the others to arrive everyone had been called except for Cloud and Yuffie no one seemed be able to get a hold of them which had everyone worried. The truth of the matter though was that they had both lost their phones in the fight with Sephiroth and Aeris. Just neither one had realised it yet.

Fortunately When the highwind arrived they learned that Reeve had called Barret and informed them that Cloud and Yuffie had come and gone and were both ok. As well as sent Cait Sith over.

"So...did any of you discover anything?" Nanaki asked first once the group had assembled around the cosmo flame.

"No...all we got were a bunch of dead ends...it seems that whatever Sephiroth is up to he's not the only one doing it...and these guys are moving fast they've been collecting people only leaving behind the ones that haven't been affected by Jenova cells." Was the reply from Cait sith who had joined up now that he knew what was really going on.

"I see...that explains it then..." Vincent muttered

"Explains what?" Nanaki questioned

"Why she didn't kill us." Vincent told him.

"Sephiroth must be trying to unite them...for what purpose I'm uncertain...but I can see only two possible conclusions if he isn't stopped. 1st. He's going to use this new race of beings to take over the world. Or 2nd He'll hold a second reunion...only this time on a massive scale...the power He and Jenova would gain would be immense." Vincent explained

"Either way...we can't let that happen millions will die." Cait sith stated

Vincent gave a nod.

"Our next move should be to find Cloud and Yuffie and see what they've got. It's about time we strike at Midgar since we now know for sure that's where they are." Nanaki concluded.

"Makes sense to me" Barret agreed

"yeah sure...just as long as my ship don't get shot to hell in the process" Cid said.

Tifa arrived in Midgar hoping she had guess correctly that Sephiroth would return after his encounter with Cloud and when she saw him she hugged him so tightly it hurt even him.

"Tifa...I know you're glad to see me and all but this is ridiculous." He managed to get out as she realised what she was doing and released him.

"Sorry...I just...I saw what happened to Wutai...and I got worried.." She said quietly

Sephiroth nodded "I see...so how bad was it? I only know the pagoda went down."

"It's bad...he pretty much wrecked everything with only a few places spared from the destruction. It's like he just went insane.."

"He probably did." Sephiroth concluded.

"The only thing that matters to him now is killing me." Sephiroth's voice was low as he looked out a window. "I wonder what he'd do after he did?"

Tifa went over to him and placed her hand carefully on his shoulder...she wasn't sure how he felt about being touched but somehow it seemed like she was supposed to do it.

"Sephiroth...why are you saying such things? Cloud won't kill you...he-" She was cut off

"He is more powerful now. More so than you, me, or mother, none of us could hope to stop him now I had hoped to regain my strength and master it better as opposed to blindly assuming I'd be able to destroy anything or anyone in my way...I should have known better then. All my training...everything I learned it went straight into nothing the moment I awakened to that power...that overwhelming blinding power...the same power that I'm sure has filled you with at least some arrogance Tifa...but soon that will be replaced by fear...when _he_ comes...he'll kill us all...just like he's supposed to." Sephiroth's tone was saddened. A first to Tifa's ears.

"Sephiroth..." she didn't know what to say...she was shocked. she was already afraid. If Sephiroth had lost confidence what hope did they have?

"What do you mean 'like he's supposed to' ?" she asked

"Every good experiment has some sort of protocol in case things get out of hand that would terminate the experiment and bring everything under control a safety or a fail safe and Hojo was the best scientist in the world so naturally he included one even in his experiments with jenova...and me...in this case that failsafe is a person. Cloud. Produced with all the abilities he'd need to destroy me Hojo may have been simply playing around with him at first but after Nibelham I'm sure he knew Cloud was going to become a very interesting specimen as time went on. He also knew I was still alive. So he made sure if I ever resurfaced...He'd have a weapon against me..." Sephiroth explained

"...But...what would stop Cloud from going mad with power? surely he thought of that...I mean Cloud isn't exactly stable after what they did to him." Tifa said

"Oh really?...Unstable...hmm perhaps that _is_ the failsafe...the failsafe has a failsafe...Hojo...you truly were a freigtened little man..but then again I would be too if I were an insect trying to be god." without realising it Sephiroth had grown comfortable with Tifa being so near him...and unconciously leaned into her slightly. Drawing a smile from her.

"I see you've learned to relax around me." She commented.

"Maybe...or maybe I just don't care anymore...no point maintaining an image for the sake of simply doing it.You...are one of us now as much as anyone here...even I and frankly I've enjoyed your company the conversations we've had have been...enlightning to say the least. Even now this very conversation I find myself learning from you things I'd likely never have known otherwise." He replied turning to face her.

"Oh?...like what?" She asked tilting her head slightly.

"Well I'd certainly never known Hojo's experiments had left Cloud with mental instabilities...I never did figure out why he'd had his story all wrong before...now I understand a bit better...his mind was so shattered he couldn't make sense of any of it so he pieced it together with himself as the hero. Typical." Sephiroth said shaking his head.

"You can't blame him..everyone wants to be a hero...well..almost everyone. besides I think I had quite a bit to do with how his recreation turned out..." Tifa said looking away.

"Oh?..how so?" she'd gotten Sephiroth curious now.

"it's..nothing..it's silly really...I can't believe I ever actually expected to hold him to it..." She rambled

He frowned slightly "Now's hardly the time to get bashful about some old secret." Sephiroth commented

"Well...you see...when we were little...when Cloud told me he was going to go to Midgar and become a member of SOLDIER to quote him he said something like.. "I'm not going to be just any old SOLDIER I'm going to be like Sephiroth!"" She paused for a moment to laugh at how ridiculous that statement sounded now. Sephiroth merely arched a brow.

"Like me?...how ironic...He dreamed of being like me only to wind up despising me and trying to be everything I am not...how sad that he'll now end up on the exact same path anyway..." Sephiroth's tone was one of amusement. Though he refrained from laughing as she had. Despite his urge to. That HAD to have been the funniest thing he'd ever heard. Given their present situation.

"Anyways... I made him promise that when he became famous he'd be my hero and always come to save me when i got in trouble...the funny thing is...even though he never became famous he still kept the promise...he came when Nibelham was destroyed he came to Midgar when Avalanche needed him...how crazy is that?...going through all that for the sake of some wacky promise we made as kids..."

Sephiroth recognised the look in her eyes as she remembered it all and it bothered him he wasn't quite sure why but just something about it bothered him.

"You loved him a great deal..."Sephiroth stated turning and starting to walk towards the opposite end of the room. "But he really would have to have been either stupid or insane to have both not seen that and to have kept that sort of promise without sharing those feelings." He sat in a lone chair.

Her eyes followed him. As she felt a tinge of sadness she knew she shouldn't have told him about that. She went over to him "Sephiroth...I'm sorry-"

"For what?" He quickly cut her off

"That...it bothered you..and don't even say that it didn't because anyone could see that it did." She told him

He was silent after that. and she decided to speak again in hopes of making things better. "But...you're right he was either stupid or insane...because he didn't love me...and he didn't know." She told him offering a weak smile in a poor attempt to cover the sadness attached to that painful reminder.

"Tifa...It seems I made you recount something I shouldn't have I..."was he really going to do it?! "Apologise." Right at that moment if anything in the room had moved that would in any way exert any sort of force on Tifa she would have fallen over. She's essientially fainted but her stance had kept her on her feet her jaw hung slightly in disbelief. Sephiroth had just apologised for probably the first time ever for anything and of all people he had just apologised to her. For something so trivial as a sorrowful memory something that paled in comparison to everything else he'd done up till now.

He looked up at her "Is something the matter?"

Once she was spoken to she regained her senses "uh ...no nothing...just...I didn't expect you to apologise.I mean...I don't think you've ever so much as said sorry to anyone for anything before...hell I didn't even think you cared...so..it's surprising to hear it for something so trivial." She told him.

"I see...Contrary to your belief there is much I regret...but little my pride will allow me to apologise for." He was suddenly uncomfortable shifting and turning so as not to see her expression considering the reaction his apology had drawn he didn't even want to think about the reaction she'd be having now that he just essientially told her he wasn't quite as emotionless as he'd liked everyone to believe.

Tifa leaned over and to his surprise kissed him on the cheek. "You're forgiven."

Sephiroth looked up at her with a stunned expression. Drawing a giggle from Tifa "That face...it's priceless. You're lucky I don't have a camera or something right now." She teased

Quickly his usual expression returned "Well then I hope you memorized that moment because it'll likely never, ever, happen again."

"We'll see...so how much did you miss me?" Tifa asked quickly yet again throwing Sephiroth off balance. Her random probing into his emotions, and ultimately inside his head, always had that effect. They'd have a regular conversation and then out of nowhere she asked something personal.

"I didn't." He replied cooly.

"Oh come on it's been days since we've seen each other and before that we've seen each other everyday for months. You can't honestly tell me that over the last couple of days your thoughts never wandered at all. Maybe to one of our conversations?"

Sephiroth arched a brow "Why don't you simply ask what you really want to know?"

"Oh...what's that?" Tifa questioned cautiously.

"You want to know if anything happened with Aeris. In reality it is you who has missed _me_ and my being alone with Aeris for a few days probably made you jealous. So before you go acusing me of such trivial feelings sort out your own first." Sephiroth told her turning to face her again.

Tifa found herself at a loss for words. She hated how he always turned things around like that. Yet what was more disturbing was that he always seemed to know what she was really thinking or feeling. For someone who spent all of his life behind an emotionless mask he understood them far too well. Or maybe...that was the clue right in front of her face she'd been missing all this time.

"I suppose it was silly to try and hide emotions from you wasn't it? after all you're the master at it." Tifa started with a new plan in mind for forcing him to open up.

Sephiroth's arched brow was the only reply.

"Oh yes I've figured you out. You know so much about peoples emotions and feelings...but you, You are the biggest offender when it comes to hiding feelings afterall you've spent all your life hiding them right? You just told me only a little while ago that you'd regreted alot of things. You've never shown so much as a moments hesitation...let alone regret. So Sephiroth...tell me...just what was it that made you hide all those 'trivial feelings' of yours? Was it Hojo? Shinra? Something else?" She questioned walking in a circle around him.

Sephiroth's fist clenched slightly in irritation. "Look...for the last time you do NOT analyze me. I analyze YOU, and also for the last time stop trying to get inside my head."

Tifa was taken aback a bit by his sudden defensivness obviously she'd hit a nerve "What is it with you? Today you've shown the most emotion I've seen from you ever aside from the usual rage you've shown depression when you spoke of Cloud and his new powers you showed sadness at the thought of what would happen to these people, you showed the tiniest hint of feelings when you leaned into me and you've shown regret and remorse when you apologised to me. So why is it you can't just relax and behave like anyone else for once?"

"Because I'm not like everyone else." Was the simple reply

Tifa sighed "You're-" She didn't finish as she was cut off by another voice.

"That's exactly right." Tifa turned to see Aeris had joined them.

"What do you want Aeris?" Tifa asked not even bothering to hide the fact she didn't want Aeris there.

"I was wondering where Sephiroth had gone to of all the people here the only one worth being around is him, Though those three are quite interesting as well...They aren't on his level. But then again they couldn't possibly be considering they're all mere incomplete parts of the whole." Aeris stated "And what do I find? Tifa pawing all over Sephiroth as usual. You're so pathetic sometimes Tifa...honestly if all you're going to do is fawn over men you can't have you should go back to your schitzo boyfreind oh wait he never WAS yours was he? Now he's little more than a psychopath and sleeping with you so called freind...how sad for you." Aeris said idly playing with her hair. Her statement was so precisely directed at provoking Tifa that what happened next should have been easy to predict...

Tifa in a rage grabbed Aeris by the throat and slammed her into the nearest wall holding her there at least a foot off the ground.

"You...How dare you say something like that to me!?"

Even Sephiroth was surprised at the amount of anger Aeris had drawn from Tifa and moreso that Tifa was capable of such hatred.Though even so he did nothing to stop her...at least not yet he was curious what Aeris would do why she had so obviously provoked Tifa and he wondered if this is what she intended or if she'd gotten more than she bargained for.

"You're the one...YOU started him down this road. You knew what was going to happen in that temple...You knew and still you went alone and after that Cloud was _never_ the same! Then you come back and try to kill him! You were...You two were..." she trailed off not being able to look at Aeris anymore.

"What's the matter? Finish what you were saying." Aeris stated just as calmly as if the two of them were conversing over a cup of tea.

"SHUT UP!" Tifa screamed tossing her aside.

Aeris picked herself up. "I knew you wouldn't do anything...and yes Cloud and I did have something...but...that something was a mistake...an error on my part. I was only interested in him because he reminded me of Zack."

"Zack?" Tifa seemed to suddenly calm a bit. as curiosity and confusion overtook her for a moment.

"Yes...Zack..he was a member of SOLDIER...he was the one who taught me how to defend myself after he realised Shinra was after me...even gave me my first staff...He was really the one I loved...when I looked at Cloud I saw him." for a moment sorrow seemed to enter Aeris voice as she remembered Zack and their time together.

"So...you're telling me...you never loved him?...that it was just some...illusion of feelings?" Tifa questioned moving over to Aeris again.

"Essientially...yes. that's ex-" Aeris was cut off by a slap that echoed through the room.

"You used him...you used him just for your own needs...you disgust me." Tifa's voice was full of venom.

"How can you judge me? Aren't you doing the same thing with Sephiroth?" Aeris said with a look of contempt.

Tifa gasped as she considered for the first time Aeris might have been right. When Aeris had joined the conversation she had just been about to make the mistake of saying "You're just like Cloud." which likely would've put an end to any freindly relations between herself and Sephiroth. In that way she supposed it was fortunate Aeris had interrupted her.

Then she remembered Sephiroth was still around and looked back but he had already gone, when exactly he'd left she couldn't be sure but she hoped that it was before Aeris last statement. She found herself standing there without anything left to say in her own defense.

"So I was right...or maybe you just aren't sure yet." For just a moment Tifa thought she recognised the all knowing motherly tone of the Aeris she'd first met and then a possibility dawned on her for the first time.

"You...you're doing this on purpose aren't you? But why?"

"I'm not doing anything...and I have no reasons to do anything other than either simple curiosity or Jenova telling me to. So don't go assuming anything and more importantly stop looking for those breif glimpses of your old freind that girl is dead, this is me now." Aeris replied turned on her heel and left suddenly losing interest in continuing the conversation any further.

Sephiroth for his part hadn't gone very far but then again he didn't need to he doubted Tifa would come looking for him at least

not for awhile anyway likely not untill she'd calmed from her argument with Aeris and he'd seen enough of what was going on to figure out what was really going on between them. More importantly he knew exactly who to talk to now. He found her sitting alone at a table staring out at nothing.

"Mother."

She turned and looked at him with a bit of a puzzled expression "It's been awhile since you called me that...since you found out..."

"Never mind that...I know what you're trying to do and I'm telling you leave it alone. Tifa and Aeris will have to get along if we are to fight against Cloud and his...friends...but you...you keep pitting them against each other why?"

"Competition is good. Anger fuels strength, and focus ensures sucess. You should know that best, afterall Cloud is only as powerful as he is because he was so determined to equal you, his hatred, his determination and his focus were all centered on you if we reproduce that...then assuming they don't destroy each other they'll both become powerful enough to serve our needs...I'd have used you but obviously you're too intelligent for that besides you lack the ability to show enough emotion you can never have the same drive that they can. I suppose in that sense your 'perfection' is merely a limitation...that's the problem with being perfect you know...you become static and stagnate and eventually those that grow will surpass you and suddenly perfection will become inferior to the imperfect. So Sephiroth which is better? Imperfection with growth and development? or Stagnated perfection, unchanging for eternity?" Jenova's words shook Sephiroth a bit as she seemed to be implying that he was no longer even nessisary nevermind being the 'best'

"Just what are you trying to say? That _I_ am inferior?" there was a hint of apprehension in his voice.

"Oh what's this? Did I hurt your precious pride? Tifa will surpass you just like Cloud did...in fact given time they all will. Simply because you will not change you do not know it but you do have a weakness just like everything else just no one's found it yet...or maybe they have, maybe that's why Cloud beat you... who knows? But in any case as long as you remain as you are it's only a matter of time before everyone knows how to defeat you and then when that time comes...you will be nothing."

"Hmph...ridiculous that will never happen. You're trying to provoke me with those twisted mind games of yours what is it you really want from me?" Sephiroth demanded

"Nothing...I don't need an idiot like you anymore...even Lucretia weeps for her son who cannot see the future that awaits him...we both know that as long as Cloud lives and you remain as you are now you will die. There is no question about that fact and all that we've built all that we've worked so hard for...it will be lost because I entrusted the wrong person with my hopes."

"Hopes?"

"Yes...even I have hope Sephiroth...I am not some being of perfection as you seem to think...which means you are not perfect either...though it's true you surpassed me once, now I am the superior again now that I have my body back...albeit with the addition of a guest...I've decided I don't mind having her around she's far more intelligent than I thought humans capable of being and thus provides decent conversation which is rare being stuck among so many fools...Sephiroth perfection is an illusion...a carrot on 'a stick' if you will...designed to drive all things towards progress those who forget...or do not realise this truth will never prosper you have become one of those if you do not change your way of thinking you will die and it will be up to me as the most powerful being here to defend what we have built...but Cloud's hatred is powerful...I wonder if even I can stop what he's become?"

"What are you talking about? what he's become?" For once Sephiroth was completly lost he had no idea what Jenova was talking about.

"Sephiroth...poor Sephiroth you still do not understand? It's right in front of your face child."

"Then just tell me!" Sephiroth shouted getting irritated with this game they were playing.

"I'm talking about evolution and what you just showed right there...emotion. Do you know why Hojo worked so hard to ensure you would be emotionless?"

"..."

"It's because the fool believed that emotions were a hinderance...then again for the purpose he intended I suppose they were, Emotions cause beings to behave erradicly, unpredictably this is not an entirely bad thing nor an entirely good thing...but simply a nessisary thing. The reason why I say you are useless now Sephiroth is because you have no emotion. You have no drive, no will, you do not especially want anything, nor do you especially need anything and because of this you do not change...you do not grow or adapt you merely exist as you are changing the things around you instead of them changing you."

"And just what's wrong with that? If that is the case then am I not the bringer of progress?"

"Perhaps...in this world...you are like a god to your people but in time your divinity will fade and you will simply be a figure, an icon. You may bring the change but you do not control it nor do you change with it...take Tifa for example...since she has come here your influence on her has changed her dramatically but you haven't changed at all you haven't opened yourself up to any new ideas or thoughts you remain just as you were a year ago or the year before that. The only thing that changes about you Sephiroth is your goal."

"So? What should I do then? Change everything I am? Become like her? Like Cloud?"

"I'm merely saying you need to allow your emotions more freedom so you can act on them...Just as Cloud did...that is why he is dangerous now...his emotions have completly overwhelmed him...you see for our kind emotions have another danger entirely...our bodies react to emotion this is what sparks the changes in our transformations that is why everyone here is slightly different because no two people feel exactly the same about everything and should our emotions become strong enough it's possible to lose oneself to that other side...the beings we transform into have wills of their own wills made up of these emotions. Normally they are surpressed but with powerful emotions like hatred it's easy to become lost and let that otherside completly take over...it's difficult no..nearly impossible to come back from that and that is what is happening to Cloud now. As he hatred for you grows and takes him over it will become all that drives him and once he destroys you his hatred will be displaced onto something else likely anything that reminds him of you any and everything that's connected to you as he loses his reason it's likely eventually he'll destory everything even the planet itself and ultimately himself when he realises what he's become."

"So...he's become a god of destruction...but why then? My hatred for him is strong as well I've felt no change..."

"Fool. Your animosity towards Cloud is but a single drop in the ocean compared to his! You've suffered no loss no pain the only thin he truly wounded is your pride by defeating you! You on the otherhand took his family his freinds his home and most importantly you came back and took the person most precious to him."

"Hm...I suppose if you look at it like that...the score is a bit one sided isn't it? But...how am I supposed to stop him if I cannot achieve that level of pain? How can I match him when I barely even know the meaning of what it is to feel?"

"You can't...you can only begin to grow and hope that will be enough you have to allow yourself to accept help from others...you have to rely on Tifa, Aeris, Kadaj,Loz,Yazoo, myself. Our only chance is for each of us to increase our power individually and when the time comes bring it all together as one to defeat Cloud...that is our one hope. This time...there is no backup plan."

"All this...because of one person with a power he shouldn't have..." Sephiroth muttered

"There is one other thing...I will be leaving for awhile...I'm going to see about getting one more powerful force to aid us." Jenova said suddenly

"One more...?"

"What she really means is that _I_ will be attempting to convince someone to help us..." abruptly Lucrecia switched places with Jenova and spoke up.

"I see...so you're going for _him_..."

"Yes. He's reasonable enough...I believe that if we convince him that Cloud is a threat to the world and not just us he will help us.How sad would it be for Cloud to have his freinds slowly betray him one by one untill finally they all stand against him?"

"How cruel you are mother..."

"Such is the fate of those that oppose my son."

"Fate...should one such as you really use a word like fate?"

"Hm...probably not, let's just call it the influence of Jenova on my psyche."

Elsewhere Vincent, Barret, Nanaki, and Cait Sith somehow all found each other wandering into Corel at about the same time thought not nessisarily together... All of them had heard about the short lived uprising of Rufus' and whatever troops had been loyal to him. But they quickly learned they weren't needed as the deathly silent streets told them.

"This is...incredible...for such a battle to end so quickly...I expected Shinra to be fighting the rebellion for at least a week. I heard the rebellion wasn't exactly a small guerilla force and I know the turks don't have the kind of power to shift the tide of a battle like this...so what the hell happened?" Vincent for once openly stated his thoughts. Primarily because he was completly baffled by the situation it made no sense to him. By all logical means there should have been a battle going on here but there wasn't...it shouldn't have been possible for either side to win so soon so just what happened? was there some kind of standoff somewhere?

Nanaki wasn't far behind Vincent the two seemed to have become quite the team lately though Nanaki was getting fed up with the number of people who kept mistaking him for Vincent's pet.

The highwind hovered above as Barret and Cid made their way down to solid ground via the still shining stainless steel ladder which replaced the old rope ladder after the incident at North Crater. Reno was the first one out to meet them.

"Yo...I see you're still taking good care of that old ship of ours." Reno said smirking

"It's _our_ ship now we stole it fair and square!" Cid replied then realised how stupid he sounded "Besides...it's not like you shinra goons seemed to care too much that we took it...never even gave chase."

Reno shrugged "We just didn't want to damage our _very_ expensive merchandise though now that Reeve is in charge I doubt we'll ever get any orders to take it back so I guess you can keep it."

" you guess?" Cid remarked getting irritated "boy if you ever tried we'd wipe the floor with you just like we've always done so don't get coy with me you little shit!"

"Whoa whoa there relax old man...I did say you could keep it."

"Reno."

Reno suddenly stood at attention "Sir! I was just.."

"Harrasing our guests. I know." Tseng replied. Then he turned his attention to Cid and Barret "Cloud and Yuffie are inside...but before you go I think you should know...Cloud's been showing some...odd behaviour."

"We know...whatever is going on with the people who've been transforming is really messing with Cloud. I don't really understand it much myself but...Yuffie...she seems to get it...Tifa understood it too..." Barret replied

"Speaking of Tifa...I would like to ask what exactly happened to her...I haven't seen her and our last information suggested there was something between her and Cloud but...now it's apparent that he and Yuffie have started quite the romance...I'd like to know what exactly happened to cause so much to change." Tseng questioned

"What do you care?" Barret asked

"It's just...I'm uncomfortable when I don't know things...particularly when I have to work closely with someone if something personal happened between Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie that will cause problems for us we should know about it. If it's nothing serious then you can simply say it's a personal matter and I will not ask the details...but you should know Cloud did tell us some of the story I just want to make sure he didn't leave anything out or perhaps...retell it in his own favor."

"Tifa...was taken by Sephiroth." Vincent stated

Everyone turned as Vincent and Nanaki arrived.

"What he did to her we do not know...we don't even know _if_ he did anything to her. We know only one thing. Tifa is _our_ enemy.She is...emotionally distraught and seems eager to take her frustrations out on Cloud but hesistates when it comes to the rest of us."

"I see...so that is all we need to know Vincent?" Tseng questioned

"...For now. Too many things are uncertain to tell you more than that." Vincent replied his tone reverting to the one he'd used when he'd been a high ranked Turk even though he knew Tseng was leading the turks now he couldn't help but take a superior tone out of habit when speaking to Turks.

"Very well...So may I assume the relationship between Cloud and Yuffie played some part in this turn of events?"

"Yes."

"That is all I needed to know. In that case unless it's determined she has directly affiliated herself with Sephiroth..."

"...She has." Nanaki cut in. Drawing a look from Vincent. He obviously hadn't intended for Tseng to know that.

"I see...Vincent...it's not like you to try to protect someone by withholding information." Tseng commented

"What the hell difference did that make? He already told you she was fighting against us!" Barret demanded

"Yes..but we turks work on a very delicate moral code believe it or not. If Tifa had simply been in a quarrel with Cloud and Yuffie and nothing more then it would have simply been a personal problem and we would not have gotten involved or harmed Tifa. But since she is allied with Sephiroth that makes her our enemy too. Which means if we see her we _will_ kill her if she gets in our way." Tseng explained

"Heh..good luck even _trying_ that one." Reno said idly. He knew there was no way any one of them was a match against Tifa maybe as a group...but with Sephiroth, nevermind the army of superpowered freaks, backing her they might as well have jumped off a cliff rather than try to fight her.

"All we have to do is get to Sephiroth...that's all." Cloud cut in having come back out to see what was keeping everyone. Everyone looked at him and the look in his eyes dared anyone to question his logic.

"We get to him. We kill him again. Everything he's built will fall apart after that."

"And we get our old Tifa back!" Yuffie chimed in poping up beside him.

That night Vincent as usual was the only one still awake. Cloud and Yuffie had gone to bed first, then Elena, Reno and Rude drank eachother under the table so to speak with both passing out ironically at almost the same time only Reno managed to utter the words "I win." before passing out. Tseng had dragged them off and since he didn't return it was assumed he went to get some rest as well. Reeve had fallen asleep at his desk doing paper work, Barret and Cid finished the drinking game Reno and Rude had started and also passed out and Nanaki had simply wandered off once all the people he considered 'Interesting' had gone to sleep. Leaving Vincent alone with his thoughts just the way he liked it.

He was standing on roof of the new shinra HQ overlooking the city...it was silent it reminded him of the Ancient city. Everything standing still as if frozen in time the illusion was shattered however when surprisingly enough, it began to snow. No longer did the city look frozen in time but simply dead and the snow had come to bury it. He stiffened when he noticed he was no longer alone.

"Who's there?" he called figuring one of the others had awoken and wandered up there.

"When did _you_ get so relaxed that you don't even turn around anymore?"

He froze. "That voice..." He turned quickly to find a woman who looked like his love but he knew couldn't be.

"How's that body of yours treating you?" she asked making no move toward him as she noticed he was preparing to go for his gun.

"who...or rather _what_ are you really?" he asked

"You know very well who I am. You _can_ feel it can't you? the boiling in your blood when I'm this close?"

He scoffed "Jenova."

"Not-" She was about to begin when he cut her off

"Why do you use that face?!" He demanded

"If you'd have waited I was going to explain."

Vincent relaxed slightly "Then you did not come here for a confrontation?"

"If I did I wouldn't need to speak to _you_ first."

He was silent for a moment "I don't know what your business is with me Jenova but I am not going to join you if that's what you came here for so begone."

"Stop calling me that." She stated rather irritated he didnt realise who he was talking to.

"what do you mean? that _is_ your name isn't it?"

"No. Can't you recognize me?"

"You are not her. you cannot be her. because she is dead."

"You fool...just because I merged with her doesn't mean I'm dead!"

"What?"

Lucretia sighed "In all these years you still know so little don't you? I am still a significant part of Jenova although it is true we are now the same being we share this body a deal she was more than willing to make thanks to my natural understanding of things and my intelligence."

"So you made a deal with the monster to keep part of your soul...and now you help her destroy the world?"

"It doesn't have to be destruction Vincent. It's evolution albeit in a rapid form but its something that would eventually happen to humanity anyway. So why not simply let it happen now instead of waiting for it to come again a thousand or two thousand years from now?"

"Jenova has warped your mind if that's what you believe."

"It's a fact Vincent. Jenova was a highly evolved humanoid origianlly very similar to the ancients however her abilities were grossly different...instead of requiring the planet's help and permission she could simply take...of course such a power was vastly corruptive to her. When she encountered the ancient Cetra she determined they were fools to search for a promised land rather than simply making their own. It was a thought that had never occured to the Cetra before...so when she proposed it it split the cetra in two the idea was so logical that many of the cetra agreed with her but those who clung to their core believes viewed such an idea as blasphemy even though no one remembered who exactly had promised this land to them or told them it was out there...Jenova asked all these questions and when she did it shook the very foundations of the Cetran society they had gone on so long they had forgotten these things and merely moved on for the sake of seeing what was next...All this is beside the point though, the point here is that you stop viewing her as simply a being of 'evil' when you do not even know any of her story...afterall isnt it true that you too were considered evil once?" Lucretia knew what she was doing...appealing to Vincents logic first to open his mind and then she would use his feelings...feelings that she still somewhat shared.

"What do want of me?" He asked finally

"Come with me...I'm not asking you to fight against your freinds(yet)...but simply to come and learn the other side of the story your living in. If nothing else I...I would like to have you near me again..."

Vincent's mind churned slowly part of him couldn't believe he was really considering saying yes...but if it was really Lucretia...maybe..just maybe he could finally recieve a little bit of the forgiveness he'd been looking for.

what to do...what to do...

Cloud was resting seemingly peacfully with one arm curled around Yuffie but in reality he was in a tormenting dream world where Sephiroth was everywhere, everyone. So he killed them...all of them in a rage and then he could see they had never been Sephiroth but he had hallucinated...he had seen Sephiroth in those around him and slain them on the mere basis that his mind had linked them to Sephiroth regardless of what that link was. he walked on among the bodies untill he came to one he couldn't believe. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He screamed only the cold stare of yuffie's dead body was his reply.

Cloud snapped awake and before Yuffie even had time to wake up and ask him what was wrong he was dressed and gone. Something was happening to him...something he couldn't stop and that something was going to put everyone in danger.He knew that much for certain he'd been fighting this other side of himself that seemed to surface from nowhere a side that saw evil in everyone around him...a side that had no freinds only enemies and worst of all he knew he was finally reaching limit and could fight it no more. This had gone on in secret for since the voice had first presented itself to him he would dream horrible nightmares and then walk around clear his head, straighten out his thoughts and then go back to bed. But now..he could feel this time was different something else had given that other side an extra push.

He stopped in the middle of an empty intersection trying to clear his head when his body was suddenly racked with pain. "Ugh...god...no...Get back inside..." he cried out as his body transformed into that demonic form again. He resisted but as hard as he tried is clawed it's way out slowly overtaking him making the process all the more painful. That's when the thought occured to him...the last thought that the 'sane' Cloud would ever have "Is this what it was like...to go insane...Sephiroth?"

End chapter 10

...I'm such an evil bastard...DOUBLE CLIFF HANGER! MWAHAHAHAHA...ok.I'm done.

I'm not sure when the next chapter will pop up mainly because I've suddenly decided to become indecisive about who will win in the end...obviously I'm biased as my name would suggest...so...what do YOU think?


	11. The Insanity doesn't end

Chapter 11- The Insanity doesn't end

Yuffie awoke with the feeling something was off. What exactly she wasn't sure untill she sat up and wiped at her eyes. Immediately she noticed the absence of warmth she'd become quite familiar with. "Cloud...?" she said looking around the room.

His clothes were gone, and his sword too. "He's already up? But why is his sword gone...?" she wondered. Then she recalled she'd heard him shuffling around in the middle of the night. 'did he wander off again?' Cloud didn't know it but Yuffie had noticed him more than once going out in the middle of the night she never questioned it because in the morning he was always there again. This was the first time he hadn't come back and it worried her with all that was going on.

After a bath and getting into fresh clean clothes she made her way down to where the others were waiting. After scanning the room nd confirming Cloud wasn't there either she spoke up "Has anyone seen Cloud?"

"He wasn't with you?" Tseng asked.

"No...I heard him get up in the middle of the night...probably those nightmares of his again...but when I woke up he wasn't there...he's never been gone when morning came. I'm...a little worried...but it is Cloud we're talking about...he'd be ok right?" She was talking mostly to herself than to th others as an instinctive worry came over her. She wasn't sure why but she _knew_ something was wrong with Cloud.

"We'll have breakfast and if he isn't back by then we'll go looking for him...besides some of the others are going to need some extra time to get up last night was probably the first time they've relaxed for awhile and they really over did it." Elena cut in as she entered the room, then added "Especially Reno,and Rude"

Yuffie sighed it was just as well, she knew Barret and Cid weren't going to be getting up anytime soon...so that left...! She had an idea.

"That's ok you guys...enjoy your breakfast I'll get Vincent and Nanaki to go with me to look for him...there really isn't much point in _everyone_ going anyway...I mean what if he came back here while we were gone?"

Tseng nodded "Alright."

Yuffie bounded off to find Vincent.

Vincent stood in front of a sight he couldn't believe "There's so many..."

"Yes...Humanity is evolving rapidly...so rapidly that the evolutions are actually patterning themselves after the tendancies of each individual." Lucretia stated leaning over a railing beside him.

They were on one of the upper levels of the building now being called "The cradel" for it's significance as the birthplace of Sephiroth and the beginning of everything. Jenova did her best to make sure their followers believed they had some divine right that they were 'chosen'. A rhetoric that sat well with the general type of person that attracted Jenova's scattered cells toward themselves. Those who were exposed through other means were slightly less drawn in but, even those who'd at once been considered 'pure' admitted to themselves that their place was among others like themselves. They no longer felt they belonged with normal human beings and many developed a feeling of superiority. The city was being rebuilt under the name "Genisis" as their numbers increased and they found need for more room.

"Do you see Vincent? Things are completly in our favor stay with me...here. Stay by my side this time there is no one to seperate us." Lucretia said

Vincent looked over at her surprised by her words. "Lucretia..." he began only to be cut off by a uncharecteristic giggle.

"what?" Vincent asked puzzled at her reaction

"You finally called me by my name. Instead of Jenova..." she replied

Vincent was silent for a moment "where _is_ jenova? That is _her_ body isn't it? why do you seem to be in such control?"

"Because she allows it...and because I think she is curious...about us. But If after all this time you'd rather talk to her than _me_ I can arrange that." Lucretia's voice hinted at her teasing him.

Vincent looked away "Of course not...If possible I'd rather avoid speaking with her at all...or even acknowledging her continued existence."

a frown came across lucretia's face and then her features changed as Jenova forcefully took over. "Listen."

Vincent turned back to her noticing the sudden change in her tone. "Jenova."

"I _am_ here in this body and I _can_ take over when I please. I _allow_ you to have time with that woman only because it suits me. If I decide I don't like it...it won't happen anymore so you'd do well to keep me _very_ happy understand?"

"Are you saying I'm supposed to love you as I love her?"

"I'm saying when you truly make up your mind you won't have an option if you wish to be with her. When you kiss her I will be here and you will be kissing me as well. When you touch her I will still feel it. " her tone changed to a seductive one "and when you make love...I will _enjoy_ it."

Vincent shivered at those unsetlling thoghts but Jenova wasn't done messing with his head yet. Her hand went through his hair and Vincent resisted the urge to slap her hand away knowing that angering her now that he was here was not going to get him anywhere when he was surrounded by thousands who would be willing to rip him apart on her mere whim. But once she had touched him he couldn't move, her touch was paralyzing and it gave him an odd sensation and disturbingly enough it wasn't a bad one...perhaps years of going without any close contact let alone so gentle a touch had made him sensitive to it. But even so...to be unable to move at all was especially unsettling to him.

Either way Vincent was trapped in Jenova's grasp as she toyed with him. Inside her Lucretia was screaming because she knew what Jenova was going to do, but Jenova ignored it and continued tracing her hand along vincents chin all the while she stared him in the eyes watching his reaction and when she was certain she had him she leaned in, and was somewhat surprised when he still didn't move. She stopped abruptly they were close, extremely close.

"You see Vincent? I can be pleasent too."

Vincent was relieved but that relief would pass when only a moment later she went the rest of the way and kissed him. Only when his mind caught up with the fact that he was kissing Jenova and not Lucretia did his body react. He raised his hands to push her away but she slid her arms around him. Surprisingly when she broke the kiss it was Lucretia, not Jenova he was looking at.

"I'm sorry...she went too far...she shouldn't ha--"

"It's alright." vincent intterupted

"What?"

"She's right...If I was to be with you what just happened would be something I'd have to get used to...If what you've suggested is true..that Jenova is not nessisarily a pure evil as we'd believed then I suppose that means it's possible for her to fall in love too..." He said looking out at the sky.

"What...what're you saying?"

"I'm saying it'd be foolish to think we could have relationship and Jenova not to get involved when she sees, hears, and feels everything you do."

"Are you two enjoying yourselves?"

Vincent an Lucretia turned to the new speaker. An annoyed Sephiroth.

"Sephiroth..." Vincent said unsure of what to do. This was the meeting he'd hoped to avoid...somehow.Then again the very idea of avoiding Sephiroth was foolish considering the only reason Vincent had come was to be with Lucretia...Sephiroths mother.

"Vincent...Mother...I suppose I don't have to ask what's going on here."

Lucretia leaned into Vincent and subtly placed his right arm around her waist. "No...you don't need to and you will leave Vincent be."

Sephiroth frowned "there's no need for you to be so protective mother...my grudge...no...my hatred is reserved for Cloud. Besides...as I understand it that man could've killed me before I ever became...this. I suppose I should thank you for letting things come this far." Sephiroth replied.

Vincent was silent he had nothing to say to Sephiroth...no rather he didn't know _what_ to say to Sephiroth. But one thing did come to mind. "I wanted to kill you because you were hojo's spawn...but I wanted to save you because you were Lucretia's child...in the end my love for her was stronger than my hatred of Hojo."

Sephiroth smirked "Then that...is some incredibly powerful 'love' " Sephiroth had difficulty imagining any hatred that ran deeper than one for Hojo...everyone who met the man seemed to hate him it was like he gave off an aura that said 'hate me' But...then he considered that at the moment he hated Cloud far more than he ever hated Hojo so he surmised it was possible for there to be stronger emotions but then again Hojo had done to Vincent what Cloud had done to him...on top of all the natural reasons to hate him. He imagined Vincent enjoyed seeing Hojo die.

"I'll leave you be.I have something important to deal with right now." with that Sephiroth left.

"...He's different." Vincent noted

"Yes..."

"So are you."

Lucretia looked up at him "well of course I am after all I've been through!"

"...It's odd seeing you...so...emotional...the only other time was when-"

"shh...Let's not think about that." She said putting a finger to his lips.

"I'm not a mere scientist anymore...I have a new body...a new life...and this time...you."

Cloud was no longer in corel he'd made his way to costa del sol and was sitting on top of the highest building he could find wondering what he should do next. "Should I...? No...not yet..." he was speaking only to himself. Last night had been the birth of a new Cloud the Cloud that had been trapped within was now free and completly in control. The only problem was, now he had no idea what to do. Well that wasn't entirely true he knew at least _one_ thing he had to do. He gazed at his somewhat distorted reflection in the materia blade. "Kill them now..." He turned the blade so his reflection was clear "kill them later..."

'_how about not kill them at all?'_

he frowned in irritation "You don't get a say in this. They aren't _my_ freinds they're yours and look what you did you ruined things with Tifa...you failed to keep the promise, you failed to come back a hero, you couldn't even deal with _normal_ life so why should I trust _your_ decisions?" there was silence in his head and Cloud grinned. "If you'd done a little better for yourself _maybe _I'd listen to you. I have no need for allies unlike you. Though it's true the only reason I have to kill them is they'll be annoying and in the way...But then again there's all those others to kill..I have to do it you know...in order to erase _him_ from the planets memory so he can never be reborn again."

'_but it's geoncide...'_

"How's that any different from what he would've done?"

'_so we're using his methods now?'_

"Whatever gets the job done...besides it's fitting to make him suffer the way we did...don't you agree?"

There was silence again and Cloud looked down at Costa del sol. Or rather what was left of it. Bodies littered the streets but the trail of blood went even beyond costa del sol all the way back to corel.

_Clouds body completed it's forceful transformation with a cry of agony, he fell to one knee and though he was breathin heavy his eyes were filled with vigor. "You shouldn't have strugled so hard...you only made this painful when it shouldn't have been."_

_Cloud stood and reached for his sword.Only to notice it was missing. "...You left it on purpose. Bastard." he took to the sky heading back to his room where he knew Cloud had left the sword. He was in an almost blind fury at Clouds pitiful attempts at stoping him,then he remembered...Yuffie. He slowed as the Shinra HQ came into view. He thought for a moment honestly unsure of what he would do if she awoke he decided to make sure he didn't need to deal with it just yet...if she awoke he would act as she would expect him to and simply tell her to go back to sleep._

_Cautiously he made his way inside silently hovering through the window. He spotted the sword at the bedside specifically the side Yuffie was sleeping on. "damnit" he cursed. He had no desire to harm her but if she awoke that would be a problem since he intended to wipe out a chunk of the population in Corel that night. He reached over her, hovering directly above the bed, as he grasped the hilt of the blade he lifted it and cursed as he realised Cloud had propped something against it and when he raised the sword it fell against the wall._

_Yuffie turned and grumbled "Cloud...stop rummaging around...and come back to bed."_

_He grinned and lowered himself a bit brushing his hand against her cheek "Sorry Yuf...just had a bad dream again..go back to sleep I'm gonna go clear my head."_

_She groaned something in response but he couldn't make out what it was so he simply accepted it as an "ok" he made his was out the same way he came in, stopping only for a moment to look back at Yuffie once more and then at the sword in his hands. He didn't notice that the materia blade had started to turn black along it's edges._

_Sastisfied that he'd more or less completed his goal Cloud flew out into the night soon to bath the Materia blade in the blood of thousands. He knew exactly where to go the 'Jenovans' had seperated themselves from humanity in corel seperated by a large wall as far from the Shinra HQ as was possible within the city. which worked perfectly to Cloud's advntage._

_He attacked without warning casting fire spells from high above in such rapid sucession that it looked like it was raining fire over the homes of the helpless people many of whom never even awakened before they were destroyed in the flames. Those who had developed with immunities to flames rushed out to face Cloud not knowing they were doomed to die at Clouds hands those who hadn't been killed in the initial attack mostly those whose homes were far enough from the wall that Cloud hadn't been able to include them in his barrage and maintain his effecient kill rate._

_"Oh...some fire resistant little bugs huh?" Cloud muttered as he drew the materia blade back "I suppose I should put out those flames before the smoke draws attention too."_

_A Hail of fireballs and spikes shot up toward Cloud as the Jenovan's counterattacked using their abilities._

_"fools...freeze." The materia blade glowed with a slight blueish hue as he swung it forward and a violent gale of freezing wind smothered the fireballs and redirected the spikes of earth, while at the sime time instantaneously freezing everything it came in contact with. leaving a sheet of ice that curled up like a wave covering the better part of the dwellings. It was now that those few who remained (compared to their original numbers anyway) realised how completly out matched they were and fled this monstrous power. Natually Cloud pursued deciding to enjoy himself. He refrained from using the magic of the blade and cut through his enemies two and three at a time. He chased them all the way to costa del sol where he slew the last of them while they tried desperately to hide from him._

"This was boring...I suppose I should go after the traitor..."

:"No...not yet...Sephiroth will be waiting there...and before I face him I must destroy all the others." He said to himself a low chuckle emminated from him.

In Genisis a trio of women made themselves known they came come all the way from Wutai, and were skilled in their native arts as well as each being gifted with a different element.

The leader of the trio refered to herself as 'Bliss' and bore a powerful affiliation with the wind. Second the aptly named Tsunami was skilled with water and lastly Hiita,skillled with flame.

Each carried a large fuuma shurikan, as well as throwing daggers and a thrid weapon which varied from girl to girl as it was their specialty.

Tsunami carried twin swords at her sides that were dyed blue and when she used them appeared almost like moving water her motions were so fluid, Hiita carried all maner of explosives in a bag at her side but her true weapon was a large gun that had multiple barrels each seeming to serve a different purpose, Bliss' weapon of choice was a pair of iron fans which housed daggers and were capable of launching and being recalled through nearly invisible steel wire.

Sephiroth was calling for generals from the sounds of things he was planning to wage war on the world. Kadaj Yazoo and Loz had already been assured their positions as leaders though in Sephiroths opinion the trio weren't worthy as when they were alone they weren't exactly the best leaders, but as a group they worked well so it was decided the trio would act as joint leaders of their unit, which still lacked a name.

Which brings us back to the new trio of Bliss, Tsunami, and Hiita. Who were standing around waiting for Sephiroth they'd recieved word they were going to be appointed a unit. The 'something important' Sephiroth had mentioned was coming to appraise the skills of the three.

"He's late." Hiita said impatiently her voice was rough for a womans, her crimson hair flared out in a wild fasion only partially restrained by black ribbon. Her eyes were also a deep red and if you watched her long enough you'd have gotten the impression she was a wild animal, impulsive, untamed, and completly uncontrolable. Hiita wore a loose red and white kimono she'd modified to remove all the cumbersome parts allowing her to fight in it freely, and to showcase her body. Hiita loved to show off her looks and tease men with her flirtatious stares. She was also the only one of the three to have the oversized gauntlet on her arm like Yuffie did. Though it served a whole new purpose for her, housing hidden bombs and explosive powders. Just in case she needed them in a hurry or lost her bag.

"Sephiroth is a busy man." Tsunami replied then added "And he's not late you're just impatient." Tsunami was the exact opposite of Hiita, Refined,dignified, she wore an all blue noble's jacket with golden trim, and blue pants that were tucked into knee high boots that had been reinforced with metal plating on the outside. Along her arms were another pair of metal plates on each arm from just below her elbow to just short of her wrist sewn into the fabric. Her long hair was tied back into a long pony tail falling to the middle of her back and on the end of it a sharp pin gleamed. At her sides the afore mentioned twin katana's rested in golden sheaths.

"He's already here." Bliss's voice was soft because she didn't talk much and Hiita and Tsunami almost didn't hear her. Bliss was rather plain compared to the other two dressed in all white,

with slightly longer than shoulder length white hair with a few bright golden streaks in it. She had an innocent air about her and her only obvious weapon was the shurikan on her back. on her right arm a golden bangle with a dragon on it was the only thing on her that stood out and even now as she stood calmly looking up at the figure of Sephiroth above them with her cloudy greyish white eyes her left hand found it's way to the bangle as if it gave her resolve to not look away from the fearsome man who was now staring at her.

Sephiroth leapt down and landed without so much as a sound as he looked at the three of them "you three are the infamous trio from Wutai? Hiita,Tsunami and Bliss?"

Each noded as their name was called. He snapped his fingers and Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz each appeared on the rooftop behind him. "Show me what you can do."

Kadaj launchd off the roof top over sephiroth headed straight for Tsunami his blade out behind him ready to bring it around in a spinning slash.

Tsunami reacted quickly drawing her blades to meet Kadaj's. Hiita was about to move to help but Loz cut her off driving his fist into the wall next to her head.

He grinned as he withdrew his fist. Hiita returned the same toothy grin.

Bliss was looking like a freightened lamb unsure of what to do but her entire demeanor changed when the first bullets from Yazoo's gun hit the ground near her "I'll be your opponent" He said plainly Bliss frowned she didn't like guns..no that was an understatement she _HATED_ guns.Afterall guns had been the reason Wutai lost the war. Guns took all the skill out of fighting and made it so that a weakling could kill a more powerful opponent. Like her father..and both her brothers.Yes Bliss definately hated guns.

Her hair became almost purely golden with streaks of white and her eyes went dark like storm clouds. One word came out of her mouth and she said it with the utmost hatred "Gun."

The winds flared and she was lifted into the air Yazoo was awed at first by the sudden change but quickly regained his composure and started shooting again. The bullets hit a wall of wind forcing them to veer off at odd angles. Yazoo soon realised what this meant and moved leaping from his position just as gale winds caved the roof in with tremendous pressure.

'She's dangerous..' Yazoo thought eyeing the girl.

Kadaj found himself overwhelmed by Tsunami's fluid sword strikes her twin blades flashed as she rapidly swung again and again. If you watched the reflection of the blades in the air it really looked like flowing water as the blue streaks traveled back and forth rapidly and the sparks that flew when one of her blades met Kadaj's couldn't been percieved as the splashing of water. It was beautiful loke poetry in motion. Kadaj on the other hand looked like a rampaging bull there was little grace in his strikes, they were all filled with anger that came from nowhere. His attacks were still fluid as he was managing to keep up with Tsunami but it was clear her technique was superior to his as she'd already figured out the strategy behind his attack.

'sweeping attacks that keep him constantly in motion like a whirlwind of death...but the flaw in this strategy is if he's not quick enough to get around the opponent he can never kill them with his wide telegraphed attacks and that sword is obviously designed for slashing horizontally or diagonally a vertical slash or thrust would leave him open...so I must force him to use one of those two attacks.' she thought suddenly backing off.

Kadaj wasn't about to let her get away so easily and pursued quickly leaping in with another spinning slash she parried it and spotted a small opening in his defense no sooner had she begun to move than did Kadaj's blade come around again. 'it was a trap!'

She raised her katana's and blocked the counter and it struck with such force that it almost took her off her feet.

Kadaj pressed the attack coming around from her left side, attempting to cut her in two, but Tsunami decided it was time to take him more seriously and showed her power. Her swords glowed a brilliant blue and ice formed extending the length of her blades allowing her to block the attack in time.

"Nice try." She taunted pushing him back she sheathed one of her katana's. "I'm done playing it's time for you to lose."

Kadaj grinned "try whatever it is your planning...I'm sure the result will be the same."

"You're right...I'll win no matter what I do." Tsunami quickly replied with a hint of boredom in her voice, which aggrivated Kadaj to no end.

He was halfway into another rush when he realised what she was doing. Tsunami's now free hand glowed a familiar glow. 'Materia?!'

Her hand shot forward and a wave of water rushed forward at incredible speed hitting him like it was concrete and soaking him in the process Tsunami followed up before he could recover with another watery attack only this time it turned to ice hitting Kadaj and carrying him along with it into a wall where it shattered.

"This game is over." She stated sheathing her remaining sword.

Kadaj picked himself up and was about to go at her again when Sephiroth stopped him. "You lost." He looked down in dissapointment and shame.

"Let's see how the others fare." Sephiroth said leading both Tsunami and Kadaj. Kadaj glanced at Tsunami and frowned when he saw she was grinning.

Hiita and Loz were beating the hell out of each other, both were covered in scratches, bruises, and cuts. Loz even had few teethmarks on him. Hiita fought like a wild beast. Everytime he thought he had her pinned she bit him.

Hiita ran at him again in her excitment she'd even forgotten about using her bombs she loved so much. It'd been too long since she got the chance to fight hand to hand.

A right hook was the first punch she threw and Loz countered by stepping aside and bringing his knee into her stomach she gasped for air as she watched his left hand rush towards her face and forced her body to move before it connected ducking low and coming up with a left handed uppercut he was caught by the surprise punch and she continued with her momentum and spun kicking him with a pair of roundhouse kicks again followed up as she spun around again bringing both fists into his chest.

Loz was pushed back though largly unharmed...he had the advantage in this type of fight he had the strength advantage and his attacks were definately affecting her more than her attacks did him.

Loz prepared his defense as she ran at him again.Her right hand curled up into an uppercut and loz backed away from it as she expected her left came quickly after in a straight, which also as expected he caught. Throughout the fight she'd noticed a pattern in Loz's fighting he'd get serious for a moment after taking a beating but then go right back to taking it easy and when he was serious he always caught at least one attack.

She grinne a malicious grin as he counter attacked only to have her lean back and kick him in the gut. He half hunched over just as she produced one of her bombs "Present for you!" She said cheerily and tossed it at him quickly flipping backwards afterwards.

He caught it utterly confused and then realized what it was...He threw it but it ws too late it exploded only a short distance from him sending him flying back through a couple walls and riddled his body with metal shards.

He got up and grit his teeth as skin repaired itself pushing out the metal pieces. He rushed her with incredible speed. Hiit was shocked by the sudden increase and he plowed his fist into her stomach then used his odd weapon to send a shock into her system temporarily stunning her.Before she hit the ground though he caught her.

"Tough girl..." he muttered. His attention shifted to the arrival of Sephiroth and the others.

"Hiita!" Tsunami yelled running towards him.

"She's ok...I just stunned her." Loz told her as Tsunami practically snatched Hiita away from him. Hiita groaned a bit but didn't awaken.

"She won't wake for a little while even if her body is like ours." Sephiroth informed her

"I'll...carry her." Loz offered.

Tsunami looked at him for a minute considering "Alright...but if you do anything funny I'll take your head off."

Loz looked to Kadaj and noticed he was soaked. "What happened to you?"

"...Shut up." Kadaj replied and walked ahead leaving a confused Loz.

"He's mad because I beat him." Tsunami explained.

The third battle was still raging when they got there Yazoo was running,jumping,flipping,whatever just to avoid Bliss' constant lashing out with her wind attacks.

Yazoo was at the point where he realised shooting simply was never going to work...so he had to counter her ability with magic. forunately he had materia on hand.

The greenish glow surrounded his hand and Bliss immediately recognized it "No you don't!" a miniature whirlwind formed in front of him forcing him to use the lightning spell sooner than he'd wanted and his aim was off.

Quickly he cast a fire spell and the flames canceled out with the wind. His next order of business was to limit her mobility He cast an earth spell and tried to manipulate the terrain in such a way to trap her but she simply rose above it all and brought down another series of gale force attacks unable to avoid them all Yazoo was finally pinned by one and the tornado bliss created right after gave her a sizable amount of debris to use as weapons. realising he couldn't win this fight Yazoo simply held up his hands "I give."

Bliss was hesitant but once he put his gun away she calmed quickly and returned to her normal 'innocent' state.

"So two of you lost...Loz is the only one who could manage a win?" Sephiroth mused "Still that's more than I expected...I knew these girls had elemental powers but I never expected quite to this extent." Sephiroth said looking at the massive amount of damage Bliss had done to the area.

"So I assume that means we pass your test?" Tsunami asked

"Yes...you all pass."

Hiita woke slowly "oooh...what the hell happened..." Soon she realised Loz was carrying her. Though she looked at him curiously she didn't protest it.

"Hiita...you were the only one of us to _lose_ is what happened." Tsunami informed her.

"What? Damnit...I should've used more bombs...But then again I wouldn't have awoken to be in this...interesting position." She said giving a seductive look to Loz who quickly put her down after that.

"What was you name again..? Loz? I had fun...more fun than I've had in a long time...but next time I won't hold back so you'd better not play around either!" she told him. He simply nodded in reply.

Kadaj watched this with disgust andhe did nothing to hide it.

"you got a problem?" Hiita asked annoyed.

"Yeah. I'm looking at it." He replied starring her down.

"Why you..." Hiita was reaching for a bomb when Tsunami grabbed her hand

"Hiita...let it alone he's just angry because I beat him. But there's no other way it could've happened really he obviously had no training and I did. A skilled swordsman against someone who simply picked up a sword and started slashing at things is not even a fight."

"Thats right...but the same is true of Loz and he managed to defeat Hiita." Sephiroth added

"with a bit of difficulty!" Hiita cut in

Loz was silent.

"Hey..aren't you even going to say anything?" Hiita asked irritated he didn't even bother to brag. She knew _she_ would've were she in his place.

"There isn't much to say...He beat up a girl." Yazoo answered for him.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Hiita demanded

"I won because...I was stronger. My fist hurt you more thn yours hurt me...but since you weren't using your real style...it's barely a win because It couldn't have happened any other way." Loz said finally.

Tsunami nodded. "That's correct. It's just as I said before with the swordsmen...Hiitaa no matter what you couldn't have beaten him just hand to hand.The fact that you even tried shows just how insane you are."

Hiita crossed her arms "Whatever..."

Tifa wandered the halls aimlessly untill she spotted Sephiroth coming in with the unfamiliar group of girls. 'what's going on?'

Kadaj broke away from the group as quickly as he could seperating himself in the crowd and unknowingly pushing past TIfa he was too frustrated to even notice her. Though Tifa had seen him, she'd assumed he was coming toward her but was surprisd when he went right past her. She followed him with her eyes for a moment then turned her attention back to Sephiroth.

Sephiroth led the group to the upper levels into the former shinra conference room whrere Jenova was waiting. Vincent was standing beside her though he obviously had some reservations about being there...his glances at Jenova and his foot was tapping not out of impatience but out of discomfort he wanted to go somewhere he'd be alone...This was all a bit too much and he still hadn't completely made up his mind about tolerating Jenova.

"So how did it go?" Jenova asked looking up from the desk.

"They're powerful as expected. Kadaj and Yazoo were overwhelmed Loz was victorious." Sephiroth reported suddenly feeling a sense of deja vu. He'd given reports in this same manner to countless Shinra executives.

"Good. I have use for them right now...Their skills will be useful in locating our most dangerous enemies and eliminating them." Jenova stated

"You mean Avalanche?"

"Yes. and any others who've got any bright ideas about who should be in control."

"Hmph...so we get our old job...assasin's" Hiita commented idly. "no surprise there."

"Tifa. I know you're there." Jenova said suddenly.

Tifa poked her head around the corner sheepishly and gave a nervous grin.

"You'll lead them to where Avalanche is hiding. Eliminate Cloud if possible though I doubt he'll still be with the others...if he isn't capture his new lover, we'll use her to draw him out. kill anyone else who's in the way. Dismissed." Jenova said idly waving her hand.

"I'm going too." Sephiroth spoke up as Tifa and the others started out of the room.

"What?" Jenova questioned looking up though she was hardly surprised.

"I'm going. If they're going to go after Cloud I should be there. He _will_ kill all of you."

Tifa was relieved she was more than happy to have Sephiroth coming along. "What's this? you all going somewhere?" Tifa cringed...Aeris.

Back in Corel Yuffie was really beginning to freak out she couldn't find Vincent anywhere and Nanaki was nowhere to be seen either.

She stopped cold when she spotted a red tail under some rubble."oh no..." She ran over quickly and started frantically digging him out. "Red! Hey RED!"

Nanaki's tail twitched to one side and as she dug him out he recoiled from the sudden light closing his eyes tightly. He was curled into a half ball and lay covered in cuts.

"Oh my god...what happened?" She asked as she fished around for a healing materia.

"Vi...Vincent." He coughed out.

"what? what happened to vincent?!" she was even more worried now. first cloud didn't come back. his sword was gone with him...and now she found Nanaki beaten and battered and Vincent was still missing too. She found the materia she was looking for and cast the spell quickly and his wounds mended.

"...Vincent is gone."

"Gone where?"

"...that woman...took him with her." Was all he managed to get out before he blacked out.

Nanaki awoke to the sound of a frantic yuffie talking at a ridiculous speed. her words weren't even making sense. He managed turn enough to see who she was talking to...Cid,Barret, and Reno though he couldn't see all of Reno from his position Reno was the only person he knew with red hair.

"Whoa whoa whoa...SLOW DOWN" Reno interrupted, shutting her up momentarily by covering her mouth with his hand. "Alright now lets try this again...I'm gonna let go and you're going to start with answering "What happened to Vincent?" OK?"

She nodded and he let go. "Red said Vincent was taken by some woman...but he didn't say who the woman was."

"It was...Lucretia...I think." Nanaki cut in letting them know he was awake. "The way he talked to her...it's like it was her...but not quite...like something was off..." Nanaki shook his head not quite sure what his own meaning was. "It was her but not really her?" He tried.

"Jenova." Reeve said letting his own presence be known.

"...That would make sense." Nanaki agreed. "We do know she was looking for Lucretia, and it seemed she had found her already. If that's the case..."

"Wait a minute here...Jenova's never shown any sort of shapeshifting ability before. Why would she suddenly gain such a power?" Reno asked

"No..It's not quite that she shapeshifted...but rather she transformed again. Just as she did..." Nanaki froze, his eyes widened in realization. "After the reunion!"

"So...you're saying Lucretia had a large part of Jenova in her?" Reeve asked

"Or was a part herself" Nanami replied.

"This is a problem...if that's true...then Jenova's power will have increased dramatically." Reeve surmised

"Yes...we had the advantage before because she was so incomplete, her parts scattered across the world but now...now she's very near being complete again." Nanaki explained

"Wait. What about Cloud?" Yuffie asked

"Cloud...he's actually becoming a problem too...he's losing himself rapidly he's been able to hold on by desperatly clinging to things familiar to him...by forming new bonds and strengthening them but it seems that alone isn't enough. His other self has distanced him from those bonds and making them pointless."

"His...other self?" Reeve questioned

"Yes. Vincent and I both noticed it some time ago. Cloud's personality split into two, One the Cloud we know and the other seems to be a manifestation of his hatred towards--"

"No." Yuffie interrupted

"What?" Nanaki asked her

"That's not right...Remember when I explained before about there having been more than one Cloud?"

He nodded.

"Well I was wrong about one thing...there weren't three of him...well not exactly three anyway. The original Cloud died fighting Sephiroth. Hojo did something and created a clone of him...but what exactly he did never made any sense...from what I read in those books it's like he...took the body modified it and then tried to program his brain or something...like some kind of robot...That's why Cloud's memories were all screwed up. But...since he overheard us that day I think he's starting to remember that and his original self...whatever's left of him is waking up again. But...there shouldn't be anything left of him he _died_. The only thing that's left is the last emotions he felt...hatred, and the overwhelming need to destroy Sephiroth no matter what. If I'm right and he's woken up and taken over Cloud...then...there isn't anything we can do to stop him. He'll destroy everyone and everything that's like Sephiroth."

Reno suddenly understood where she was going "You don't mean he's--"

"Yes...he's going to kill them all...Cloud is going to commit genocide." Yuffie finished.

There was a ominous silence in the room. Just what were they supposed to do now? Let Cloud destroy all those people? It was one thing to kill Sephiroth and Jenova and put a stop to everything...but to do it by killing _everyone_? Most of those people had no real idea what was going on. Then there was still the fact that Jenova not only had an army but at anytime could start another Reunion and become complete. Nevermind Sephiroth,Tifa, Aeris, and now Vincent. It was looking more and more hopeless all the time.

Cid broke the silence "How the hell do you know all this Yuffie? Besides what about all that stuff you said last time?"

"I told you I read the books. I misunderstood the first time but...since I brought them along I read them again a couple times and it started to make more sense to me."

"Then why didn't you tell us this sooner?!" Barret demanded

"I...I don't know...I guess I was worried about Cloud. I...I thought maybe just me would be enough to hold him together...at least long enough for this to be over and then it wouldn't matter anymore. More importantly I didn't want him to know if he didn't already remember. It would have made things worse and had I told you guys he'd have picked up on you acting funny...He already noticed it enough as it was."

Speaking of Cloud...our little crazed destroyer now stood on the shore staring up at Midgar, a large maniacle grin on his face. "Won't they be surprised...when I show up."

End chapter 11.

Sorry for the longer than usual wait for an update.

Eh...I'm not really satisfied with this chapter...something seemed...off...but I couldn't put my finger on it...maybe it's just me. Tell me what _you_ think.


	12. A heart at war

Ah Chapter 12 at last.....this was hard to write. Mainly because I really couldnt decide where I wanted to go with things from here on as everything has finally come to the climax and now we're racing toward the end. I almost left this story unfinished, I almost forgot comletely about but random reminders and the occasional review email eventually got me to look at it again and hey whaddaya know? I just happened to be in the mood to write one of those times. So Enjoy cause there's no telling how long it'll be till the NEXT one.

Chapter12- A heart at war.

Sephiroth,Hiita,Tsunami,Bliss,Kadaj,Yazoo,Los, Tifa,Aeris,Vincent,and Jenova/Lucretia all met together. Sephiroth pacing the room. the trio's kept to themselves each on the opposite side of the other staring each other down. Tifa stood oddly alone watching Sephiroth's pacing it worried her that he was so worried. Aeris stood not too far from Jenova leaning against the wall.

"He's near....Hiita, Bliss, Tsunami. Take your troops and begin the extermination as we planned if nothing else it'll keep his friends from getting involved. Kadaj,Yazoo,Loz. You three will be in charge of defenses." He paused glancing at Vincent. "Valentine...I won't bother assigning you a job that involves directly facing Cloud instead you will take mother somewhere safe _and_ keep her that way." The last thing he wanted was to lose his mother again.

Vincent nodded that was a task he was prepared for, though he wasn't ready to face Cloud head on if he had to protect Lucrecia...he would.

"Sephiroth....what about me?" Tifa asked. He stopped and turned towards her. Even he wasn't sure what to do with her...or Aeris. Then an idea came to him.

"Since everyone else is moving in a group of three let's keep it that way. "Tifa, Aeris. You two will be with me our job will be to hunt down and kill first...there's something else I want to do."

Aeris nodded Tifa on the otherhand had mixed feelings...true she had wanted to hurt Cloud but _kill_....she wasn't sure she was ready for that.

"You have your assignments." Sephiroth started out of the room "Tifa,Aeris." The two took their cue's and followed him out of the room.

Cloud started his approach towards Genesis. But stopped when he saw the massive force making a hasty exit. "fleeing? No...that's not all of them...." Cloud wondered what they were up to. "It doesn't matter...I'll get them all soon enough...but first....Sephiroth."His eyes narrowed and his pace quickened.

Kadaj Yazoo and Loz were waiting for Cloud in the main hall.

Cloud strolled in like he owned the place. Giving them all the evil eye.

"So who moves first?" As soon as he asked the question Loz charged while Yazoo fired shots over his shoulder forcing Cloud to block the shots and Loz's fist connected with the flat side of Clouds sword pushing him off his feet and into the wall. He recovered quickly rolling to the side just as Loz's fist smashed down where he had been he was about to counter attack when Kadaj's sword swung through the air making a whistling noise as the air passed between the two blades. Cloud instinctively jumped back and spun around swinging his sword in a vicious horizontal slash connecting with Kadaj's blade and hurling him through the air. Cloud lifted his materia blade and pointed it at Yazoo fireballs formed and hurtled towards Yazoo forcing him to move. Loz came in with an uppercut and Cloud leaned back to avoid it countering with a right hook and then while ducking another punch, kicked back into the only just then returning Kadaj's gut but was soon after hit in the face by Loz and thrown back by the sheer force as Yazoo's bullets rained down like hail he turned as he skidded allowing them to only graze him at worst. When the skidding stopped he stood facing the trio

"Well....this looks like it might be more fun than I thought."

Elsewhere Sephiroth, Aeris, and Tifa made their way down to the basement levels where the mako showers were.

"Sephiroth...What're we doing down here?" Tifa asked

"I'm going to absorb some mako so I can fight cloud." He replied with an icy tone

Tifa froze. "Again? you're going to do it again? Don't you remember the sort of monster you became last time?!"

This time Sephiroth froze in stunned silence. "....You understand don't you? Cloud's already become a monster. You can only beat a monster like that with another monster." He replied turning to look at her.

"No....that's not true! The three of us....I know we can all do it." Tifa protested one of those looks in her eyes like she used to give Cloud when she was pleading with him to do something. Surprisingly or perhaps not surprisingly it worked on Sephiroth too.

Sephiroth sighed. "Alright we'll do it your way." he gave in knowing she'd be incessently nagging about it even after he'd done it if he didn't give her this victory.

Tifa lit up. "You won't regret this."

"I better not." Sephiroth replied turning to march back between her and Aeris. "However, there is _one other thing..._"

Meanwhile

Cloud spun around in a circle conjuring up a shield of ice as Yazoo's bullets impacted the thick barrier harmlessly but Kadaj and Loz leapt over coming in for another double attack but Cloud was prepared. He turned his sword upwards and leapt up to meet Kadaj's blade, his materia blade had reached a level of hardness far beyond Kadaj's blade by now and shattered one of the blades and threatening to do the same to th remaining one as they collided in mid air. Loz turned and smashed Cloud in the ribs with his him back into the ground as he spun through the air. He hit the ground and gritted his teeth "ENOUGH" The room exploded with Cloud's darkness, his wings spreading wide throwing back Loz and Kadaj into the wall of ice he'd formed. He stood up his as crimson lightning surrounded him. "No more games."

Kadaj and Loz looked at each other and then charged but Cloud wasn't even thinking about playing with them anymore. The lightning shot out and lifted Loz right off the ground slamming him right back into the ice wall as it cracked. Kadaj swung but Cloud's materia blade shattered the remaining blade and sliced his side. Kadaj cried out as he desperately tried to put distance between himself and Cloud. Yazoo finally worked his way around the ice wall and fired some shots to cover Kadaj but in his transformed state it was like Cloud had a constant barrier around him and It became apparent that they were no longer a match for this......monster.

Elsewhere Hiita,Tsunami,and Bliss were assailing Corel and the golden saucer which by now was where the largest remaining population of humans lived with all the evacuations and refugee' out there. With the only others being hiding up in the northern lands in the mountains around north crater and perhaps a few pockets here and there hiding in caves or some such dark place.

However what they hadn't planned on was The highwind along, with Yuffie, Cid, Barret,Nanaki, Zack and the turks showing up.

The highwind in it's time at the new Shinra HQ had been fitted with weapons and some reinforced armor to take hits. It sailed out over their army and rained down elemental bolts from materia based cannons.

Bliss was first to react her eyes narrowing. "Guns." She hissed. The Airship was too big for her to take it down with her wind powers."Hiita, Tsunami." She called and the two were at her sides as she swirled the wind aroud them and lifted them into the air along with a few others.

Barret and Nanaki were standing by on the deck they were going to land on. "SHIT We got boarders!" Barret yelled. As Hiita's arm swung forward throwing a oversized shurikan much like Yuffie's however as barret raised his gun arm and the bullets rained the shurikan met with the hail and it's momentum was lost clattering to the ground harmlessly.

Bullets whizzed by the trio as they seperated to get out of the path of fire except for Bliss, whose winds swirled like a miniature hurricane throwing bullets off course and just narrowly missing her she seemed perfectly calm untill barret took slightly more careful aim realizing what she was doing. and one cut across her cheek. Her eyes widened and then came the scream. The deafening siren wail that made one want to grab their ears as the wind lashed out with enough force to make even small loose objects deadly her shurikan flew off her sliced through the air headed straight for a stunned Barret, Nanaki made it around the corner just in time to pull Barret down(or more accurately to tackle him and get him out of the way).

Bliss had completely snapped and even Hiita and Tsunami didn't know what to do about it. "We should withdraw! She'll kill everyone when she's like this, us included!" Tsunami yelled over the roaring winds to Hiita. "If we leave now Sephiroth will have our heads! Just take out the guy with the gun arm and she'll calm down!"

Meanwhile Nanaki continued from his position on Barret's back and the wind swirling around his body in a spiral and his body propelled itself forward like a missile. (If you hadn't caught on that's sled fang.) He pierced Bliss's barrier of wind as the winds canceled each other out and allowed him passage to the stunned girl his fangs found her shoulder long before either Hiita or Bliss could move. She cried out another banshee wail as she flailed and Nanaki was thrown from her tearing a chunk of her out and taking it with him.

Tsunami was first to reach Bliss as she clutched the wound and fell to a knee with tears streaming out of her eyes. "P-Pain......." she muttered over and over again. Tsunami picked up Bliss and turned to Hiita running past her as Hiita took up a defensive stance. "Hiita! forget the plan! just blow them all to hell! We'll figure out who survived later!" Tsunami yelled as she leapt over the side. The ocean was near enough that she could call upon it's waters to cushion their fall.

While on board the airship, as Nanaki tried to give chase, Hiita let loose with bombs of all shapes and sizes driving him and the now standing barret back around the corner Nanaki had come from. She would make her way around the airship tossing bombs around corners and charging into the blasts showing off her apparent immunity to fire. It wasn't long before the airship was on it's way to meet the ground with everyone on board powerless to do anything against the constant assault of Hiita's bombs in the close quarters of the Airship.

Cid was cursing at the sound of every explosion knowing they were all fatal wounds to his beloved Airship. If the explosion itself didn't destroy something critical the fires would and they were running low on crew as it was. there was no way they could put out everything and he knew it. He _knew_ his ship was dying and unlike so many other things there probably wouldn't be another to replace it later. The turks were all figuring out ways to abandon ship from makeshift parachutes to trying to get the onboard Chocobo's to fly(Zack's Idea "A bird should fly shouldn't it?!").

All that is...with the exception of Reno and Rude who made their way through the exploding halls looking for an exit but instead came face to face with Hiita. "So, there's some men on this boat afterall." She stood shifting her weight to one leg and giving a seductive smirk as the flames raged around her. "Wanna play?"

Reno returned the smirk with an almost crazed grin of his own. "Now how can I refuse an offer like that?" He replied with a smug shrug as he looked toward Rude then back at Hiita simultaneously whipping out his baton. "Rude, you don't have to hang around for this."

Rude silently took his usual battle pose. Then after a moment when Reno looked over with an arched brow he spoke "It's all the same to me." Nanaki skidded in behind Hiita here, but seeing the two turks facing her down decided to leave it to them, the turks may have been only human but they weren't weak and with the airship doomed already he was probably better used helping barret and the others get off this death trap.

Hiita couldn't help but laugh. "You two are priceless. If I didn't have to kill you I'd keep you as pets or something."

"Sorry, but I'm not anybody's pet." Reno said as he moved in swinging his baton as Rude moved up behind him. Hiita just kept laughing. "Morons." She somersaulted backwards simultaneously rolling a grenade along the floor. "SHIT!" Reno yelled diving forward as it rolled past him exploding and throwing both Rude and him through the hall at Hiita who with unusual grace snatched Reno out of the air while letting Rude fly past her. "I like you reckless types. Shame you're so weak and on the wrong side." she said about to toss him aside when she felt the sting of the electro mag rod against her neck.

"Don't go lookin down on me cuz I'm human." Reno told her as she released him holding her neck and growling like a injured animal. "You're dead." Hiita hissed.

"We're already dead, this Airships goin down and as long as I keep you here you'll be going out with me." Reno explained

Hiita's eyes flickered with a momentary surprise. "Oh? Was that your plan? Surprisingly noble. But even if this ship goes down with me on it I won't die. Hell I probably won't even be hurt."

"The hell are you talking about? Nobody could survive a crash like this." Reno said keeping her talking while Rude got into position behind her.

"Haven't you noticed? I've walked through these halls blowing up everything in my way and I'm not even singed. Why?" She posed the question to him like a teacher trying to get a student to enlighten himself and Reno realized it all too late.

"You're....." He began a look of horror crossed his face as he realized this was all in vain.

"Mmmmmn...that's a good look." She said watching his horrified expression. "That's right. Now you've got it" She spread her arms and the flames came unto her but did her no harm. "I absorb fire....or I suppose you could say in a way I am fire. When this ship crashes and explodes the explosion will do nothing to me. That's why I can throw around these bombs without a care in the world." She explained.

"Damnit I screwed up!" Reno cursed he'd gambled and it was looking like he'd lost. Rude swung hard from behind since Hiita seemed so intent on ignoring him. His fist hit hard pushing her forward drawing a curse from Hiita. "What the hell? Can't you see we're talking here? That's why I hate you quiet types you're too damn sneaky." She spun around kicking him in the chest giving Reno the opportunity to get another hit in with his mag rod across her back.

"Oooh, playing rough? I can do that too!" She yelled driving an elbow into Reno's gut. She spun around behind him and as he tried to turn to follow her movement she leaned close and whispered "Like it or not you're gonna be my toy for awhile." Shortly after which she pushed him forward toward Rude keeping them on the same side of the airship.

"Alright, boys lets play all the way to the final boom!" Hiita roared with a crazed grin.

Reno looked over a Rude "Hey, buddy. somethings wrong with me."

"Hm?" Rude gave him a curious look. "I think I'm in love." Reno finished staring down the red haired femme fatale.

"Heh. Too bad she's crazy." Rude said

"Ain't they always?" Reno asked with a widening grin.

"Hey hey pay attention!" Hiita cut in, a whip of flame had formed in her hand and she lashed out striking between the two of them as they took to opposite sides of the hall to avoid the strike. "Don't think I'll go too easy on you just cuz I'm playing!"

Elsewhere, those who'd escaped from the airship made their way into the older area's of Midgar, which was now teeming with monsters of all shapes and sizes, all made quite active by the whirlwind of large scale movement and destruction going on in the area. Yuffie,Tseng,Elena,Barret,Nanaki, Zack and Cait Sith all were now in the forest around midgar. Cid seemed to have been intent on staying with the Airship as long as possible for what reason none of them knew, maybe he just wanted to find that girl responsible for killing his airship and get some way this group began the rough trip towards the old shinra tower, where their friends, and enemies both awaited.

Meanwhile, Cloud had more or less taken the trio of Kadaj, yazoo, and loz apart. Yazoo had quickly been reduced to a useless husk sprawled out on the floor with a large gash in his chest. His weapon destroyed much like Kadaj's. Kadaj was still trying to fight, but without his blade he was mostly useless as his powers were draining rapidly from overuse of magic, Loz being the brute of the group was the only one still going strong. Since he used his fists Cloud had been unable to remove his 'weapon' of choice and the stuns from the odd device attached to Loz's arm still seemed to be effective at least in slowing Cloud's movements. This is not to say the battle had been completely onesided though, Cloud had lost his barrier at some point and had taken a couple of solid blows. But in his current state they simply werent enough to stop him.

As it was now, Cloud held the materia blade on his shoulder looking between a very winded Kadaj and Loz. "Well this has been tougher than I expected, but clearly this is coming to a close." Cloud stated as he eyed the two of them. "One of you is about to go down and once that happens the other will simply be overwhelmed. The only question is which of you will have you stamina fail first hm?" He pointed his blade at Kadaj. "I'll bet it's you. So maybe I should just take you out now." Cloud's wings flared and he pushed forward with the blade still pointed at Kadaj, it was a classic dragoon style rush just...with a sword instead of a spear. The attack was broken off however when Cloud sensed an all too familiar presence from above.

He hopped back just as Sephiroth crashed down into the ground where he would have been. Masamune stuck into the ground much the same way as it had when Sephiroth had killed Aeris.

"You're getting a little predictable Sephiroth." Cloud said as he shifted stance.

"Oh? I figured you'd recognize the move, but I was curious whether you were so far gone as to be willing to die just to kill them." Sephiroth replied casually as he withdrew masamune from the ground.

"Hmph, as if I'd die removing some trash from my path. The only one here worth that price is you."

"Is that right? I'm flattered you think so highly of me."

Cloud frowned "enough of this. are we gonna get started or what?"

Sephiroth focused on the new sword in Cloud's hands. "Interesting sword. Where'd you get it?" he asked ignoring the challenge.

" As if I'd tell you!" Cloud roared starting the fight with the usual blind charge. Their blades locked only momentarily as Tifa emerged from the shadows rushing out Loz style and nailing Cloud with a left straight. He'd been caught completely off guard and tumbled into a pile of rubble he'd made earlier while fighting Kadaj,yazoo,and loz.

It was only a matter of seconds before he was standing again through. Looking more irritated than ever. "What the hell Tifa?!"

"You didn't really think I'd just stand by and do nothing did you?" She asked without looking at him, adjusting her gloves slightly, the hit had felt a little off.

"So you're siding with him? against ME? I get it, you're pissed about Yuffie, but this...."

"It's not just about Yuffie anymore." Tifa said cutting him off. Cloud simply stared at her dumbfounded.

"Yes Yuffie is a part of this...but you left me here. You just ditched me completely Cloud. You must've had some idea where I was for awhile now, but only now you come here? And even now it's not to find me but just to fight him?" She shook her head. "But all that is beside the point. You're not even the Cloud I knew anymore are you?" She asked staring him in the eyes.

Cloud's facade faultered. The mask broke, and the real face of the 'new' cloud showed itself. "Hah, so you noticed that too huh? Damn am I really that obvious?" He asked "But more importantly why is it everyone keeps opposing me and telling me I'M the one who's wrong?!"

Cloud pointed at Sephiroth "This......THING. Took everything from us, but you'll defend him now?"

"Cloud...." Tifa began. "NO! I don't want to hear it! I don't care what explainations you have. If you're siding with him you're as bad as he is!" Cloud yelled and then suddenly he switched to a very calm nature his gaze shifting to one that gave Tifa chills "And if that's what you've become Tifa. Then I'll kill you too. Right along with him."

There was a echoing giggle, that made everyone but Sephiroth look around. "Oh really? Wonderful Wonderful!" the sound of clapping came from behind Cloud and he whirled around to face a all too cheery looking Aeris. "So I guess that means you'll kill me too right Cloud?"

Cloud froze, his mind went blank. Inside his head everything was contradicting itself, good was bad, bad was good, it didn't make any goddamn sense. Why was Aeris still here? why was she standing against him too? All of this, no not all but a good deal of it had been for her sake. It had been her death that had locked him onto the path of destroying Sephiroth with no other options. Yet now she was asking him if he'd kill her too along with the others. He couldn't. wouldn't.......would he? She did try to kill him once. But given his failure to protect her he was almost willing to let her but only if he got to kill Sephiroth first.

"Aeris....I...." He managed to find words but during the long period where his brain had been working she had moved within inches of him. and Cloud felt his body aching to close the last few inches and embrace her. But somewhere in the back of his mind a part of him reminded himself he had yuffie now. He couldn't have Aeris anymore.

That's when he felt it, a sharp pain in his back. Sephiroth had moved while he'd been focused on Aeris and stabbed him. "Fool. You're still a failure." Aeris said her voice losing it's sweetness as her own blade pierced his chest. Their plan had worked, Sephiroth had predicted Cloud's weakness perfectly. To think he'd figured it out simply from Tifa mentioning his mental instability. The 'one other thing' he'd mentioned earlier was their plan of attack using Aeris against Cloud again, preying upon his weakness and striking making that power of his useless.

"A---Aeris.....Why?" He still couldn't fathom it. She was the very definition of purity and perfection to him. So to have her turn against him shattered all the basis of his fragile definition of the world.

"You still didn't get it Cloud? They brought me back. Or more specifically, she did."

Cloud's dazed stare told her he didn't understand. "Jenova. But of course she wouldn't allow me to meddle like I had in the past. So....she made a slight alteration, Now like you I'm just a puppet that dances to mother's will. But I have much more freedom than you do because I stand with her."

"NO!" Cloud roared his power spiked again. and his body tried to regenerate the damage he'd taken. "I won't accept that!"

Tifa was paralyzed, frozen in terror of the Cloud she was seeing. "Quickly! Finish him off before he recovers!" She yelled without thinking. She no longer considered the being in front of her 'Cloud' it was someone else. Some other cloud she didn't know.

"It's the truth Cloud." Aeris told him. she draped her arms around him and leaned close whispering in his ear. "Even the most beautiful and pure things can turn out to be the most cruel or even evil. There are no absolutes in the world. So what will you do? Will you kill me this time? Will Sephiroth be the one who protects me and prove everything you think is wrong? Or will you let yourself break to preserve your beliefs?"

"NO NO NONONONONONONONO IT'S ALL WRONG! " Cloud fell to his knee's clutching his head, his mind was falling apart. but his body was going berserk. his power was lashing out in all directions. "Tifa get the others away from here. You should all pull back!" Sephiroth ordered and without questioning him she moved to fetch Yazoo. Loz, was still able to move well enough on his own and helped Kadaj along. "What about you?" Tifa asked suddenly as she was about to leave.

"I'll finish things here. But I don't know what'll happen once I do." Sephiroth said as he raised masamune, intending to behead Cloud while his power raged, for all he knew Cloud's body could've exploded once he died killing everyone in the room instantly. But it had to be done.

Tifa shut her eyes and turned away not wanting to see Cloud's death with her own eyes as she hurridly made for the exit but Yuffie and the others entered almost at the same time. "Noooooo!" Yuffie let out a blood curtling scream upon seeing what was about to happen. She didn't even notice Tifa or the others. Only Sephiroth about to kill Cloud.

Her heart raced and she could feel herself moving forward with speed she shouldn't have had. A shocked Sephiroth turned his head to see the new threat but began to swing his blade anyway. Knowing she was trying to save the puppet.

What happened next was simply a blur. Yuffie radiated with light, the blood Cloud had given her to keep her alive had finally truly awoken and now she too was a monster, just like him....like Tifa, like Sephiroth and all the countless others. Cloud was oblivious to what exactly had just happened he only recognized the sound of Yuffie's voice and that something very cold had come into contact with him but soon after it felt warm, and when he looked at it it was beautiful. It was Yuffie, her skin covered in Crystal, hugging him tightly and shielding him from Sephiroth's sword.

"Yuffie." His brain slowly began to work again. some sembalance of logic formed and he was able to function. Yuffie made sense. If Aeris was not the thing he should fight for, then Yuffie was. She could be his light. His angel and those who opposed her would be the devils.

Cloud's grip on his sword tightened and he swung over her at Sephiroth. As his arm cradled around her and his body turned forcing Sephiroth to jump back though he still caught the edge of the blade.

"Damnit. What's going on here? She shouldn't have this power." Sephiroth demanded.

"You're right, she shouldn't. But, she does because of me." Cloud answered.

"So you've resorted to creating monsters too?" Sephiroth asked laughing. "You really don't see how corrupt you've become do you? She was right, you have become like me."

"SHUT UP! I'll kill you and that'll be the end of it!" Cloud yelled he and Yuffie took positions to fight, while Tifa now found herself with the dilemma of figuring out what to do now. The arrival of the others was unexpected and She couldn't leave Sephiroth to fight them all alone.

Aeris backed off using the confusion caused by yuffie to quickly get out of sight when she realized Zack was there. why couldn't she face him? why was she always hiding when he showed his face? It frustrated her.

On top of the shinra building Vincent and Jenova stood alone. watching the crash of the highwind. "Do you feel regret for being here?" She asked him suddenly.

Vincent was silent for a long while. Refusing to look at her, simply watching the fire burn. Finally she decided he wasn't going to answer and spoke again. "If you feel you've committed another sin then-"

"It's not that." Vincent cut her off suddenly."I'm more concerned with what's going on down below us."

"You felt that too? It's begun. All of them have gathered and the ones who survive will either rule or destroy the world." Jenova stated as she carelessly leaned over the railing. "It feels strange not taking part in the battle myself when I likely have the better chance of defeating that....thing. Than Sephiroth does right now. But if I failed then all this would be for nothing."

"You're worried?" Vincent asked with a slight hint of surprise.

"Of course. She is worried too. Our fates are essientially being decided without us lifting a finger. Who wouldn't be worried?"

"So. The original monster has emotions afterall." Vincent mused.

She moved closer to him. "Of course I do, I spent eons emulating other species, being different things and having to first understand them to do so. But also for that very reason I must have far more control over those emotions than anyone else. Which is why....." she almost trailed off. but then decided to continue "It's confusing having that womans emotions bubble up when I'm near you. it's distracting."

"Is that a request for me to leave?"

"......No.I haven't decided whether I like the feeling or not yet."

"If you say so." The air between them was awkward to say the least. Vincent was so incredibly uncomfortable around Jenova he didn't know what to do with himself so he took on the aloof, persona he had worn when among Cloud and the others. Only when Lucretia showed herself did the original vincent...the one from before the coffin showed himself.

The building shook with some explosion at ground level. "Shouldn't we at least watch the final battle?" Vincent asked.

"No. It's best if we don't distract them. Though if you're feeling restless there is something we can do....." Jenova answered with a sly grin. "Yes...there's definately something we can still do."

Vincent merely arched a brow left hanging in suspense as to what she had in mind.....

End Chapter 12.

Well there it is. Chapter 12. love it or hate it. it's here. Originally I planned to get to 15 chapters for this story buuuut I'm thinking it'll probably be over around 13 or 14 now. Characters will die. Brace yourselves. depending on my mood and how busy I am 13 MAY appear in the next couple of days but if it doesn't expect a long wait.


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